


Rusted Brandy in a Diamond Glass

by AquaWings23



Category: Critical Role (Web Series)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Noir, Assistant!Veth, Bodyguard!Yasha, CR Noir, CR Noire, Cop!Fjord, Coroner!Caduceus, Dancing, Detectives, First Kiss, M/M, Minor Character Death, Mob Boss!Jester, Murder, PI!Beau, PI!Caleb, Thief!Essek, the wizards are flirting, thieves
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-04-29
Updated: 2021-01-24
Packaged: 2021-03-01 22:41:53
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 25,193
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23904826
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AquaWings23/pseuds/AquaWings23
Summary: He stepped in. The first thing I saw was his coat- a large, dark thing, obscuring almost all of the man’s body. The skin that did show was a grey-ish purple tone, dusted with pale freckles that glimmered like stars on a night sky. His hair was white, styled messily so that a few strands hung over his forehead. His eyes were grey, almost cat-like, hidden behind a large pair of circular glasses, and I could see the faintest hint of makeup on his face, subtly accentuating his sharp features. His ears were pointed and when he gave a soft smile, I could see the smallest bit of a fang poking from his lips. A drow, then. Intriguing.“Detective Caleb Widogast. What can I do for you?”A Noir-style AU where Caleb is private eye and Essek is a government worker, moonlighting as the elusive master thief, The Shadowhand.
Relationships: Essek Thelyss/Caleb Widogast, Jester Lavorre/Beauregard Lionett/Yasha (background)
Comments: 68
Kudos: 104





	1. Caleb Widogast and The Mystery of The Stolen Beacons

**Author's Note:**

  * For [The Essek Thelyss Fan Club Discord](https://archiveofourown.org/gifts?recipient=The+Essek+Thelyss+Fan+Club+Discord).



> Before we begin, I want to give the biggest of thanks to the ETFC Discord for the INCREDIBLE idea for a Noir AU. I couldn't have written this story without the input of so many people, so thanks guys! Hopefully we see more incredible stories from this AU!
> 
> I'm still relatively new to writing, but the inspiration I've gotten from this discord has allowed me to write some incredible things. Get ready, y'all, this one is a long one.
> 
> I hope you all enjoy the story! Sit back, relax, and let me take you on a journey into the dangerous town known as Wildemount City.

Wildemount is a lovely city.

From the bustling streets of Zadash to the quiet peacefulness of Rosohna, there’s something in it for everyone to love. The people, the architecture, the history. The money.

It’s no surprise that Wildemount has criminals. Every town in Exandria does, but the crooks here are ruthless, well-trained, and most importantly, hiding in plain sight.

My name’s Caleb Widogast. I’m a private eye. It’s my job to find these crooks and make sure they pay for their crimes.

Well, most of the time. 

_“Police suspect that the heist is the work of the infamous Shadowhand, a thief who has targeted valuable artifacts from across Exandria…”_

The static of the radio made my head pound as I leaned back in my seat, rubbing my hands over my eyes. This “Shadowhand” figure had been targeting high level families on the East side of Wildemount, and the police were so corrupt that no one had even been questioned yet. If only I could talk to Fjord about some possible leads...

 _“Hey Caleb? You’ve got a visitor, some fancy man here to see you. He says it’s urgent.”_ The message sunk into my brain, Veth’s high pitched voice adding another layer to the buzzing mess than was my mind. 

“Thank you, Veth. Please send him in.” I switched off the radio, letting silence fill my office for a few moments. The quiet was comforting. 

A knock sounded on my door.

“Come in.”

He stepped in. The first thing I saw was his coat- a large, dark thing, obscuring almost all of the man’s body. The skin that did show was a grey-ish purple tone, dusted with pale freckles that glimmered like stars on a night sky. His hair was white, styled messily so that a few strands hung over his forehead. His eyes were grey, almost cat-like, hidden behind a large pair of circular glasses, and I could see the faintest hint of makeup on his face, subtly accentuating his sharp features. His ears were pointed and when he gave a soft smile, I could see the smallest bit of a fang poking from his lips. A drow, then. Intriguing.

He offered his hand, covered in rings that were probably worth more than Veth’s yearly salary. I shook it. 

“Detective Caleb Widogast. What can I do for you?”

“It is wonderful to meet you, Detective. My name is Essek Thelyss. I’m here on behalf of Leylas Kryn. You might know her as the Bright Queen.”

I paused slightly. Leylas Kryn was a well-known name in Wildemount, the head of one of the largest gangs in Rosohna. She had enough coin to bring in the investigators from the Cobalt Soul, much less a dirty-looking PI with a questionable record and a shady past. 

“I know Mrs. Kryn. I did a case with one of her associates a few years back, Dr. Waccoh?”

“Yes, I’m familiar with the name. I hope you will excuse me, but Mrs. Kryn has asked me that we keep this case relatively quiet. It concerns some rather tentative information regarding her family name.”

I frowned. Cases that were kept under the radar were usually dirty, not that that means anything to the Wildemount police. They wouldn’t do their jobs if someone held a shotgun to the backs of their heads. 

“I understand, though I’m going to need a little more information. I can’t exactly solve a case if I don’t know what I’m looking for.”

“Oh! Of course. May I take a seat?” He gestured to the rickety chair across from my desk, a carefully manicured hand leaving the dark pockets of the coat.

“Please do.” I walked around to the other side of my desk, sitting in the large leather chair as he took out a file. He passed it to me. 

Inside were photos, mostly of what I assumed to be the crime scene, as well as some written statements that were probably alibis or theories. I skimmed over them as he spoke.

“Last night, a criminal snuck into the Kryn Estate and stole some very valuable items. Gold, jewels, the usual things, but they also took something very important to the Denmother.”

He pulled out a picture of two large diamonds, carved into the shape of dodecahedrons. 

“The Luxon Beacons. Priceless diamonds, worth more than either of our souls. The crown jewels of the Kryn collection. The thief was skilled enough that he did not trigger any of the alarm systems inside the vault, a feat within itself. In some ways, I applaud him for that. It’s as though he never set foot on the ground.”

I nodded as I listened, looking between the diamonds and the list of the vault’s security systems. It truly was impressive. 

“We believe that this thief was the infamous Shadowhand, the master thief of Exandria.”

My head snapped up. “What makes you say that? There are plenty of thieves in Wildemount, and I know quite a few of them who could beat this security system, as difficult as it may be.”

The drow chuckled before reaching towards the file on my desk. He shuffled a few pictures around before pulling one out and handing it to me. 

“The thief seemed to have left his mark on the scene. The classic black handprint.” 

I took the photo from him. He was right- the inky hand, placed on the wall directly over where the Beacons were most likely held. One of the only traces the Shadowhand ever left behind. 

I glanced at all the information one more time before handing it back to him. “So, what do you need me for? The Bright Queen has more than enough money, she could hire the entire FBI if she wanted to.”

Essek grimaced. “As I said, Mrs. Kryn wants this taken care of quietly. If the Cerberus Assembly found out that she lost her crown jewels, they might try to force themselves into the East side of Wildemount. That cannot happen. The turf war between the Dynasty and the Assembly has already seen enough casualties. I’m sure you can attest to that, Detective.”

I nodded. Years on both sides of the city had been enough to see that there was tension in the criminal underground. 

“I’ll be sure to look into it. I have a few connections that I can try. Do you mind leaving your number so I have some way of contacting you?”

Essek smiled softly, nodding. “Do you have a pen and paper?” I handed them to him.

He quickly wrote his name and number on the paper in elegant, looping script. “If there’s anything you need, anything at all, please do not hesitate to contact me. The Denmother will provide.”

“Thank you, Herr Thelyss. That is very kind. I will be sure to contact you with any updates.”

“Wonderful. I hope to speak to you soon, Detective.”

He rose elegantly out of his seat and shook my outstretched hand before turning and leaving, his coat flowing gently behind him. I sunk back in my seat and sighed, glancing at the information in the file. I took a wire out of my desk drawer and held it to my lips.

“Veth? Contact Officer Fjord, please. I have something I need to discuss with him.”

* * *

“Are you going to the Policeman’s Ball tomorrow?”

I looked up from an old case file to look at the half-orc next to me. Fjord Stone, a regular beat cop who sometimes gave me leads for cases. Out of all the corrupt cops in Wildemount, I think he might be the only one with trustworthy information. He was also an alright friend when it came down to it.

“I wasn’t planning on it. Since I just got assigned this new case, I don’t have the time to play dress up and waltz around in a glorified City Hall.”

“I know, but I need someone I know to be there. I don’t want to be standing around with Avantika all night, she gives me the creeps.”

I flipped a page, eyes not leaving the document. “Why don’t you ask that lab tech you’re always ranting about? I’m sure he wouldn’t mind going with you. Didn’t you bond over gardening the other day?”

I could see Fjord blush out of the corner of my eye. “Oh, you mean Caduceus? I’m mean, I guess, but I’m not even sure he knows my name. He’s just so calming to be around and he always laughs at the stupid jokes I make and _he’s so tall, Caleb-_ ”

At that point, I started to tune out. Listening to Fjord ramble about his crush on the lab tech was not going to help with my investigation. I pulled another case file from the crate. 

The robbery of The Tide Peak Tower, home of Yussa Errenis. All of the same markings of The Shadowhand: the security system was never set off, almost no trace that he was even there. Save for the jet black hand print that was starting to haunt my dreams. The only thing taken in this situation was a clockwork ball, a supposed family heirloom. 

I looked at the transcripts of the interrogations. Yussa was an extremely paranoid man, with multiple security systems and booby traps. His assistants practically lived in the tower with him and it was very rare that he hired new ones. The one he hired last was a man by the name of Desran Thane, an elf who apparently moved to Tal’Dorei six months after the robbery-

“-Caleb. Caleb. Cayyyyleb. Earth to Mr. Detective. Did you hear me?”

“ _Was?_ ”

“I just remembered a tip that came in earlier this morning while I was doing my rounds. Rumor has it that The Shadowhand is going to be at the ball tomorrow night. Maybe you can catch him there?”

My head shot up. “Why didn’t you say that earlier!”

“I just remembered!”

I grabbed my coat, slinging it over my shoulders before running out the door. “Thanks for the tip, Tusktooth!”

“Hey! I told you not to call me that!”

I left him shouting out the window of the precinct. It was time to make a stop at the Lavish Chateau.

* * *

The atmosphere at the Lavish Chateau was an interesting one. Music floated above the crowd as singers and dancers took to the stage, dressed in stunning jewels and elegant clothes. The dim room was filled with smoke of a hundred different cigarettes, from performers and patrons alike. While I never smoked myself, the heavy air felt calming in my lungs. 

I told the bartender who I was looking for before taking a seat in an empty booth. It wasn’t long before someone saddled up next to me.

“How ya’ doin’, Detective? Solve any fun cases lately? You haven’t treated me to a story in a while.”

I chuckled as I looked at the tiefling next to me. Mollymauk Tealeaf- how to describe someone like Mollymauk Tealeaf? 

Molly was a classic at the Lavish Chateau. Sometimes a bartender, sometimes a performer, always sure to light up a room. Marion Lavorre, the owner of the club, had found him beaten up on the streets outside without a name or a past. She practically raised him as her own, and she raised him to be _flamboyant._

“Oh, Molly, _liebling,_ I could never stay away from you.” I smiled. 

“You’re damn right, you couldn’t! I need to go get ready for my set, but I take it you’re here to see Jessie?”

I nodded. “Right as rain, Mollymauk.”

“That’s just what I do. Come on back with me.”

Molly led me back behind the stage, dodging in between changing performers and piles of costumes. We eventually got to a large pink door on the far end of the hallway. Molly knocked a rhythm into it before a small window opened near the top.

“Password?” Two large eyes peaked out, one light blue and one pale purple. I had been here enough times to recognize the odd gaze of Jester Lavorre’s bodyguard, a large woman named Yasha. 

Molly hissed out something in a language I didn’t know before planting a quick kiss on my cheek. “Be good to my girl, alrighty? And for gods’ sakes, make sure you eat something before you leave? You look skinnier every time I see you.”

“Thank you, Mollymauk. I’ll be sure to stay for your performance.”

“You better! I’ll blow you a kiss in the crowd!” He called as he ran towards the dressing room to get ready, jewelry clanging as he skipped away.

As soon as I stepped into the room, the strong smell of incense and sugar hit me like a train. The only thing hitting me harder than the smell was the tiefling leaping into my arms.

“CALEB!”

“Hello, Jester-”

“What are you doing here? Does Dad need help with another case? Or is it Mama this time? Or did you come here just to see me??? You’re so sweet, Caleb, come here, _come come come!”_

I sat on one of the plush couches in the room, moving some of the pillows out of the way so that I could actually sit down. 

Jester Lavorre. The Little Sapphire. Daughter of one of the greatest performers in Wildemount, The Ruby of The Sea. Marion Lavorre loved her daughter to shreds, and it was easy to see from the amount of pampering the girl got. 

Oh, yeah, she was also the daughter of one of the most powerful mob bosses in Exandria. 

Jester knew the criminal underground like the back of her own hand. She had helped me on a few of my previous cases, digging up dirt and making use of her father’s connections in the Myriad. And while she was cute, it didn’t mean she wasn’t powerful. I had seen this little blue tiefling sink an axe into a man’s head without remorse. 

She sat on a large pink couch across from mine, Yasha sitting beside her. “So, what can I help you with, _Mr. Detective_?”

I smiled softly at her. “You know the Policeman’s Ball tomorrow night?”

She burst into a wide smile. “ _Of course!_ Mama isn’t going to be there, she’s too nervous to leave the Chateau, but Molly and Yasha and I are going! Why?” She gasped. “Caleb. _Are you going to a party???_ ”

I grimaced. I knew she would try to pull something when she found out. “Perhaps? I’m tracking a lead and I need a ticket.” 

“Oh! Of course, of course, of course. _BUT!_ One condition!!!” 

I sighed. “ _Ja?_ ”

Her smile suddenly turned devilish. “You tell me what this case is and you let me dress you up for the ball!”

“That’s two conditions, Jester.”

“Ohhhh, _come on_ , Caleb! Please??? Please, please, please?”

I sighed even harder. “I don’t have a choice, do I?”

“Nope!”

* * *

“So tell me about your case! Is it a murder? Arson? Come on, Caleb, _tell me!_ ” Jester shoved a pile of clothes in my hands, pushing me towards a changing screen in the back of her room “Go, try those on.”

“Well-”

“ _GO!_ ”

I slid behind the screen. Hanging the clothes on the wall, I could immediately tell they were worth more money than I had ever seen in my life. 

“So??? Case???” I could practically hear her kicking her legs in impatience on the couch outside.

“Ah, _ja_. It is a robbery. I cannot go into the specifics, but the client believes that it is the work of the infamous Shadowhand.”

 _“WHAT???_ Really???”

“Ja. There was a tip that he is going to be at this ball tomorrow, and I am hoping to catch him in the act.”

“Well, then that outfit doesn’t work! You’re dressing up for a criminal! You need something sleek! _Sexy!_ Make him look, Caleb!” I already had half of the clothes on. I sighed. 

This was gonna be a long night. 

Jester threw a large cloak over the screen. “If you’re in a suit, you’ll look like every other boring man at that party. No offense.”

“None taken.” 

“What you want is something that actually fits your form! Makes your butt look good! And the cloak accentuates your height and makes you look _powerful_.”

As I tried on the clothes, I could understand what she was talking about. I knew nothing about clothes- my usual outfit was a ratty shirt with the coat I had been wearing for the last five years. But as I fastened the cloak around my shoulders, I looked at myself in the mirror. For the first time in a while, I actually _liked_ how I looked. I always thought that clothing was simply for necessity, but Jester always showed me wrong. 

“How do I look?” I stepped out from behind the screen, twirling in the way Jester always did when she forced me to go shopping with her. 

The squeal that came out of Jester’s mouth was sharp enough to shatter glass. I swore I saw one of her mirrors chip out of the corner of my eye. 

“ _CALEB!_ You look _incredible!!!_ Come here, come here, come here!” 

I walked towards her. She walked around me, inspecting every inch of my clothing, checking if it was up to her standards.

“Look at my little baby.” She sniffled, bringing me in for a hug. “All dressed up and ready to seduce a criminal mastermind.”

“Jester-”

“ _WAIT!_ I have the _perfect_ accessories for this look!” She ran towards a large chest, holding jewels and pearls and other treasures from every city in Exandria. “Here!”

She pulled out two items, handing them to me. The first was a pair of earrings, red leaf-shaped gems extending up the ear lobe while a single teardrop gem hung off a loop. The red gems were accompanied by black diamonds along the inner edge, the entire top half looking like a flame. It sparkled unnaturally in the low light of the room. 

“Don’t tell Dad I gave this to you. It's supposed to be _magic_. Give the other earring to someone and the two of you can communicate! Maybe give it to Veth? You guys can look for clues together!”

I stared at her. Magical items were extremely rare, and she was so willing to give me one. I didn’t know what I had done to deserve her. “Thank you, Jester. That is very kind of you.”

“Oh, it’s nothing! Just make sure you give it back later! Dad will kill me if I lose it.”

“I will, I promise.”

I looked at the other item in my hand. An ornamental fox mask, carefully designed with gold accents and sharp corners. I knew that this wasn’t the most ostentatious mask in Jester’s collection, but it suited the bold simplicity of the outfit. I put it on and looked in the mirror again. I looked like a different person.

“You look _amazing_!!! How are you going to do your hair? Are you going to shave? Yasha, get out your straight razor-”

I heard the _shrring!_ of a switchblade from the corner of the room. “No! No thank you, Jester, I believe I can shave myself.”

She pouted at me, blinking her large, purple eyes at me. “Alright...but you better come find me at the party tomorrow. I have your ticket right here!” 

She handed me a small nondescript envelope, sealed with the pink wax seal I knew all too well. “Thank you, Jester. I am in your debt again.”

“It’s nothing, Caleb! _Go!_ Go eat something, watch the show. I heard you promise Molly that you would stay for his act. Everything is on the house, courtesy of your favorite Little Sapphire!” 

“I will. Thanks again. I will see you tomorrow.” 

_“Not if I see you first!”_

The door closed behind me, locking with a heavy _thud_. I headed back through the maze of performers and costumes, before taking a seat in an empty booth. I ordered a drink and waited for the lights to dim.

Molly slinked onto the stage, wearing a sheer purple robe that flowed out from behind him. His makeup was elegant, gold eyeliner that shot out in wings and a deep red lipstick drawn over his cupid’s bow. He sat on the stool behind the mic, eyes scanning the crowd before they finally landed on me. He threw me a wink and the music began to play. 

_I'm a country girl, I ain't seen a lot_

_But you came along, and my heart went pop_

_You took a little streetcar to my heart_

_And an apple of love fell off my apple cart_

_You looked at me, my heart began to pound_

_You weren't the sort of guy I thought would stick around_

_Hey, but it don't have to be eternally_

_My bad, bad Angel put the Devil in me_

_You put the Devil in me…_

I knew this was one of his favorite sets. Molly always was a performer at heart. The way he crooned into the microphone, combined with the slinky way he moved, made for a show that was impossible to look away from. He was rich and luxurious, like a fine wine, and I let myself relax for the first time in a long time.

I’m glad I did. It would be a long time before I would be able to relax like this again.

* * *

“Now, you remember the plan, right?”

“Yes, yes, Caleb. We split up to different sides of the ball, try to identify any suspicious persons, and communicate all information through the earrings. You’ve gone through the plan over a hundred times!”

“Yes, Veth, I know, but this could be our only chance to catch the Shadowhand for months! We need to act quickly.”

“I know, I know. Now, go get dressed, it’s almost time to leave and you’re still wearing that ridiculous coat.”

“It is not-”

“ _Go!”_

I scoffed as I headed back into my office, locking the door behind me. I took my outfit from where it was hanging on the door and began to get dressed.

Once every hair was in place, I looked at the earring and mask sitting on my desk. The gems in the earring glittered unnaturally again and I hesitated to put it on. The piece was _magical_ , it should be in a museum, not on some random PI’s ear. I sighed before clipping it to my ear lobe, wincing slightly as it snapped into place. It seemed to hum with a strange sort of energy.

I began to reach for the mask before I felt the earring hum louder. _“Hey, Caleb? That Essek guy is back, he says he needs to tell you something? You almost done changing?”_

I reached for the earring, willing it to respond back. “Yes, Veth, I will be out in just a second.”

I grabbed the mask and checked myself in my small desk mirror before heading out the door. Essek glanced up as soon as I entered the room. “Ah! Detective. I’m sorry if this is a bad time, but I just needed to inform you of something.”

“Never a bad time, Herr Thelyss. Are you also attending the Policeman’s Ball tonight?”

“Sadly, no. I’m afraid I'll be traveling on a business trip for the next few days. That’s actually what I wanted to talk to you about. While I’m travelling, it’ll be next to impossible to contact me with how busy I am. If you find any leads in the case, I must ask that you save them until I return this Tuesday.”

“Understood. I’m actually hoping to find some leads tonight at the ball.”

He cocked an eyebrow. “Really? How so?”

I smirked. “Rumor has it that the Shadowhand is planning on making an appearance at the ball tonight. A rather stupid move, in my opinion. Not only will the entire WMPD be there, but some of the families he’s stolen from, including your own Denmother.”

He chuckled slightly. “Yes, a rather stupid move indeed. Incredible that a thief like that could boggle the minds of some of our top investigators. Well, I shall be going now. Enjoy the ball. You both look rather stunning.”

I swore I could see Veth blush out of the corner of my eye. “Thank you for the compliment. Enjoy your traveling.”

He smiled. “Trust me, I will.” 

* * *

_“CALEB!_ Over here!!!” I smiled as I spotted Jester across the crowd, waving her arms frantically to usher me over. I tapped Veth on the shoulder before nodding towards the tiefling, a knowing smile spreading across the halfling’s face. 

“Go have fun. Keep your eyes out.” 

“You as well.” I waved her goodbye while walking towards Jester. She had Mollymauk and Yasha beside her, all of them dressed to the nines in lush fabric and stunning jewels.

“Hello Madame Lavorre. I must say, you are looking lovely this evening.” 

“Oh, _Caleb_ , stop it! You look so good! I told you that cloak would suit you!!! _And the mask-_ ”

She really did look stunning. The light pink of her floor-length gown was gorgeous against her blue skin, and the soft white detailing on the bodice matched the lacy mask that she had fastened around her horns. Her hair was carefully styled, curls bouncing as she laughed. 

Her bodyguard, Yasha, was standing directly beside her. She was wearing a black dress with a missing back, a long black trail hanging behind her. Her mask was much more simple than Jester’s- a solid half mask decorated with small faux flowers along the edges. I knew this woman was carrying multiple weapons on her- every person at the party had at least a knife with them. I was no exception. Wildemount was a dangerous city, one could never be too careful. 

“It’s good to see you, Detective. Did you enjoy my song the other night?” I turned towards the voice addressing me, belonging to the other tiefling of the pair. 

“Oh, Mr. Tealeaf, _liebling_ , always.”

Molly was dressed to the nines as well. He was wearing a long slinky purple dress, the bottom flaring out in a wave of peacock feathers. In his left hand was a peacock feather mask on a stick, and in his right was a glass of champagne. His makeup was just as colorful, with purples and blues covering his gold-lined eyelids. He wore sparkly gold jewelry and he looked like a star. 

“You planning on dancing with me tonight, Caleb? I’ll be sure to pencil you in, love.” He smirked, cocking his hip out as he posed dramatically. 

“I’m not sure I’ll be able to with the line of suitors I’m sure you have lined up, Mollymauk.”

“Oh darling, they don’t mean anything to me. However, Jester, Yasha, and I are planning to go get drinks in a few minutes, if you’d like to join us?”

“I’m gonna need to talk to him first, Tealeaf. Give us a moment?” I turned over my shoulder to see Beauregard Lionett, my close friend and detective at the Cobalt Soul Investigative Agency. 

Beau and I had worked a number of cases together over the years, but when she got promoted to Expositor a few months back, we had started to drift apart. It was always nice to see a friendly face though.

“You clean up nice, Detective Lionett.” I smirked at her.

She smirked back. “Same to you, Detective Widogast. Might I have a word?” She gestured towards an empty corner near the far end of the bar. I nodded, following her towards the small alcove. 

She turned around sharply once we were alone, sliding her pale blue mask off her face. “What the _hell_ are you doing here? How did you even get a ticket?”

I scoffed, sliding my own mask off. “You know me better than that, Beauregard. I have a case, so I used my connections.”

She sighed, running her hands through her hair. “Those damn Lavorres, I’m gonna get them eventually…” She took a deep breath and looked back up at me. “So? What are you investigating?”

“Robbery. Can’t get into specifics, but I got a tip that the Shadowhand was going to be here tonight.”

She chuckled, shaking her head. “You too, huh? I swear, every cop and private eye in this town is aching to catch that crook. Where’d you get the tip?”

I gave her a look. It wasn’t common that she shared her intel with me, so I never shared mine with her. It had nothing to do with bad blood, that’s just how you survived when you were the closest thing this city had to law enforcement. 

“Fine. Don’t tell me. I don’t want to know. Just keep your eyes out. Plenty of shady folks here tonight, I don’t need you getting stabbed because you messed with the wrong gang leader.” 

“Awww, thanks for caring, Detective. And same to you. Can’t have Wildemount losing its newest Expositor so early. Gotta last a few months first.” I smirked. 

She smiled back, softly punching me on the arm before heading back towards the party. “Don’t get yourself into trouble, Caleb.” 

_“You know I always do!”_ I yelled after her, smiling. I looked around the empty alcove before tying my mask back on and heading into the party.

* * *

It was starting to get late, and I was getting worried. I tugged on my earring for what felt like the fifth time in two minutes.

 _“Anything,_ Veth?”

_“No, Caleb, I’m sorry. Why don’t you grab a drink? I’ll stay sober, I promised Yeza I wouldn’t go diving in the champagne fountains.”_

“There aren’t any champagne-”

_“You know what I mean! Go! Get a drink! Relax! Have a good time. Don’t waste this lovely evening worrying over the case.”_

I paused. I didn’t want to leave Veth to take care of the Shadowhand alone if things came to it, but I did need to relax a bit. The stress was giving me a headache. “Fine. One drink. Only for you, _schatz_.”

_“That’s my boy. Have fun!”_

I started heading towards the bar when I was stopped by a hand on my shoulder. “Care to dance, sir?”

I turned. The woman behind me was wearing a red, long-sleeved dress and a large fur stole. She had dark hair that fell over her shoulders in waves and her makeup was simple, yet perfectly elegant. The top half of her face was hidden behind an ornate gold leaf mask.

I smiled softly at her. “Of course, _fraulein_. Allow me.” I offered my hand to her and led us onto the dance floor.

She clasped her hand on my shoulder and we began to sweep across the dance floor. There were many couples dancing together, and we quickly blended into the crowd. 

“You dance very well, Detective. Where did you learn?”

“Oh, I never trained formally. I suppose I am simply a natural.” I smiled at her.

She chuckled. “Yes, a natural, indeed. How lucky for you.”

We followed the patterns of our fellow dancers, weaving in and out of couples. The tempo of the song got faster, the pacing feeling more rushed, the movements feeling almost anxious. Finally, the song crescendoed as the woman placed her hand behind my back and dipped me. 

“This is a little forward.” I chuckled 

“Oh, trust me.” She practically snarled. “You have no idea what forward is.”

_“Caleb! I don’t want to scare you, but you know how you told me about your old mentor? Trent? Yeah, well, I think he’s here. And he’s looking in your direction.”_

The buzz of Veth’s voice through the earring registered in my mind just as the woman’s fur stole slid down her shoulder, revealing a large burn mark across her neck. 

“Astrid.” I scowled.

“Hello, Bren.” She smiled sinisterly. “So nice to see you again.”

She reached down and grabbed a small knife attached to a holster on the side of her thigh. She lifted my chin with the point of the weapon, forcing me to stare into her sadistic eyes. 

“Cheer up, _liebling_. Ikithon wants to see you.”

She lifted me out of the dip, taking the knife and placing it against my side, under my cloak. “Try _anything_ , and I’ll let you bleed out in the middle of the dance floor.”

I decided I probably shouldn’t say anything.

She started walking me towards Ikithon, the shriveled old man as disgusting as I remembered him. 

“Excuse me, madame?”

Astrid froze, turning to glare at a figure behind her. _“Can I help you?”_ She snarled.

“I was wondering if you could release my date? He promised he would dance with me at least once this evening, and I’m hoping to take him up on that.”

At this point, I was the one who froze. _Date?_ Surely he was talking about some other man who Astrid had pressed a knife to.

“Caleb, darling, are you coming?”

I turned to look at the man who was my supposed savior. Greyish-purple skin hidden behind a inky black half-mask, swirls carved into the sides to make it stylish and suave. White hair, slicked back into a perfect quiff, not a single hair out of place. His long, pointed ears were covered in silver earring chains and cuffs, and on his hands were long, elbow-length black gloves. His suit fit him perfectly- a deep purple color that seemed to shimmer and shift when the light hit it. His shoulders were covered by a long black cape, and his shoes were high-heeled boots, easily making him a few inches taller than he already was.

“Ummmmm.” I glanced between the drow and Astrid, who was standing there, looking absolutely appalled at what was happening. “Yes, _liebling_ , I think it would be nice to dance. Right now. If you could please release me, _fraulein_.”

I tugged my arm out of Astrid’s grasp and walked towards the mysterious drow, taking his outstretched hand. He pulled me close and led me back into the sway of the music. 

“I suppose I should thank you for rescuing me. My own personal knight in shining armor.”

He chuckled, spinning me across the floor. “Oh, I’m no knight, trust me. And it was no problem. I can recognize a distressed person when I see one.”

I allowed myself to be spun around a few more times before I asked him. “And how exactly do you know my name?”

He smirked, like he knew a secret I didn’t. “I simply like to know about people who find themselves taken with my work. I can see the spark in your eyes, Caleb. You’re enamored with me.” 

“Enamored? I’ve never even met-”

Everything clicked into place just as the song finished. The drow took a deep bow, before pulling me close again and whispering in my ear.

“Meet me in the alley behind the building in two minutes. I promise I will give you answers.”

And with that, he disappeared into the crowd. 

I stood there in the middle of the dance floor for at least a few minutes, just letting the thoughts run through my head. _The Shadowhand just danced with me. The Shadowhand is a drow. The Shadowhand smells like ink with a faint hint of leather. The Shadowhand is waiting for me in an alley behind the building-_

And that’s when everything hit me at once. I tugged on my earring as I ran towards the back of the ballroom, where I knew a backdoor was.

“Veth? I’m going outside for a few minutes. If you don’t hear from me in 20 minutes, call the police.”

_“But the police are all here??? Caleb??? CALEB!”_

I threw open the back door and marched into the alley, fully expecting the Shadowhand to be waiting by the door. Instead, all I saw was an empty alley. I cursed myself. I knew he would disappear, _why did I let him leave-_

“You know, Detective, I don’t often have gorgeous men like you chasing after me. Normally, it’s sweaty old policemen who can’t do their jobs. This feels like a nice treat.”

I jumped and turned to face the building’s wall as the man’s face swung into my vision, the drow himself hanging upside down from a fire escape behind me. I grabbed at the mask on my face, pulling it off with a scowl. 

“Gods above, you scared me.”

“Oh, did I? I apologize, that wasn’t the intention at all.” His smile was wide, sharp teeth on full display. 

“Can you please get down from there? I don’t enjoy playing games.” I grimaced as I felt the chill from the night settle into my bones.

“Oh, but you’ve never played a game with me, Caleb! Can I call you Caleb? I’m going to call you Caleb.” The thief jumped down from the fire escape, landing elegantly on his feet. He reminded me of a cat.

“Give me one reason why I shouldn’t call every police officer in that building to come and arrest you.”

“I’ll give you two reasons! In fact, I’ll give you three.” He pulled a butterfly knife out of his pocket and started to flip it as he walked around me. “This isn’t one of the reasons, by the way. It just helps me focus.”

“Of course. You would never resort to such cheap threats.”

“Oh! I love how you understand me already! When shall we plan the wedding? I’m personally a fan of autumn, but-”

“The reasons. Now.” I glared at him, making him stop in his tracks.

“Yes, of course. Reason Number One: I’m too quick. As soon as you try to walk away or make a sound that anyone other than the two of us can hear, I’ll already be gone. Disappeared. _Like a shadow_.” He smirked at me, flipping the knife in an intricate series of turns and twists.

“How fitting.” I grumbled, crossing my arms. His smile widened even further, if that was even possible. 

“Of course! Reason Number Two: They would never believe you. You’re a dime-a-dozen Private Eye from the most dangerous city in Exandria. The beat cop you get information from? He’s the least respected cop in the precinct. _Plus,_ why would the Shadowhand show up at a Policeman’s Ball? That would be a stupid move for a _master thief_.”

He gave me a look like I was the stupidest man in the world. 

“And _finally_ , Reason Number Three…”

He swiftly pocketed the knife, placing his hands delicately on my face. He forced me to look into his eyes before nodding to himself, as if he was accepting something.

I just stared at him. Then it happened.

His lips collided with mine. I froze, utterly unsure of what to do. _What did one do in this situation?_

His left hand left my face to run his fingers through my hair, ruining the updo that had slowly fallen apart over the course of the evening. His hands started to caress my face, running his fingers over the line of my jaw and the sharp edges of my cheekbones. It felt almost... _reverent_.

Then I snapped out of it. Who did this man think he was? I pushed him away from me, his back hitting the opposite wall of the far too narrow alleyway. The impact didn’t seem to affect him as much as I had hoped. 

“Reason Number Three.” He said, panting and smirking way too happily. “Reason Number Three is that you find me _way too interesting_.”

“That is not true.”

“Isn’t it? I know you don’t actually care about solving this case. Your research on me is _extensive_ , Detective. Probably as extensive as _my_ research on _you.”_

I froze. He had caught me in his web. But god dammit if I wasn’t gonna go down fighting.

 _“Fine._ You’re right! I don’t care if the Bright Queen gets her diamonds back. You’re the one who intrigues me. How do you do it? _Why_ do you do it? How do you choose what you steal? I feel like I’m _this close_ to finding answers, and here you are, right in front of me. So provide them.”

The Shadowhand chuckled, covering his wide smile with his hand. “Oh, _Detective._ How sweet of you. Sadly, I’m afraid I won’t be able to provide all the answers tonight.”

“But-”

“ _Hush_ now. We’ll speak again soon. Don’t worry, I know you can’t last long without me.”

And with that, he leapt onto the fire escape and scrambled up onto the roof. I thought he would run straight into the night, but he paused right before the roof’s edge. I swore I could see his smile, even from the ground. 

“Maybe look in a mirror sometime soon? I think you’d make a lovely picture.” He yelled down at me, blowing a kiss in my direction before disappearing. 

I sighed, shaking my head. How would I deal with someone like _him?_ I decided to head home. The party was ending soon anyways and Veth could always call me at home. I look around the small alleyway, trying to find the mask I had dropped.

 _“Mreow_.”

I paused, looking in the direction of the sound. Lying near the entrance to the fire escape was a small orange striped cat. Its eyes were blue and it looked severely malnourished. 

_“Mreow.”_

The kitten looked at me, large blue eyes shining in the dark. My heart broke as I watched the animal limp towards me, butting its head into my head weakly as it let out a soft purr.

“Oh, _katze_ , what are you doing here?”

I kneeled down, taking off my cloak to wrap the tiny cat in it. It nuzzled into the fabric, purring slightly louder. I sighed. This wasn’t ending with me leaving a cat to die in an alleyway. I scooped up the animal and held it like a swaddled baby.

“Let’s go home then.”

* * *

My apartment was dark when I walked in. It wasn’t the finest space in all of Wildemount, but for a single PI who usually slept at his office, it wasn’t awful. I turned on the lights and set the cat down, heading to my fridge to see if I could find anything the poor thing could eat. 

I set out a bowl of water and a plate of cut-up chicken near the door. The cat pounced on it immediately, devouring the plate of chicken before I could even leave the room. I chuckled quietly to myself and headed back into the kitchen.

I don’t know why I didn’t notice it before. A small piece of paper sat on my countertop, crisp and clearly not written in my handwriting. I picked it up to read it and almost fell over.

_Dear Caleb,_

_I wasn’t lying when I said this wouldn’t be the last time we saw each other. I plan on having at least a few more conversations with you. I find you rather intriguing, and I know you feel the same about me._

_You looked absolutely stunning tonight, darling. That cloak suited you perfectly and the earring was a nice touch. It’s rather a shame that I had to take it. Perhaps I’ll find some earrings that suit you better. I highly doubt it though. The way magic looks on you is almost impossible to ignore._

_I hope you’ll keep this letter. I plan on sending you a good few more. Whether you keep them as evidence or as sentimental items is entirely at your discretion, though I’m secretly hoping it’s the latter._

_Well, I suppose I shall be going now. I hope to see you soon, darling._

_Signed,_

_With Love,_

_The Shadowhand_

_P.S. I wasn’t lying about looking in a mirror every once in a while. :)_

I stared in horror at the small letter in my hands. How did he get into my apartment? _How did he know where I lived?_

My hand reached up to my earlobe when he mentioned the earring. It was exactly as he’d said: gone. It couldn’t have just fallen off, it was clipped on _far_ too tightly. 

Shit, shit, _shit._ _Jester was going to kill me._

I stared at the final line over and over again. He had mentioned the mirror twice now, and it didn’t take any deductive skills to come to the conclusion that he wanted me to look at myself. For some reason, the smiley face at the end of that sentence filled me with more dread than I had ever felt in my life.

I decided to just get it over with. _What was the worst that could happen?_

I walked to my bathroom, took in a deep breath, and looked in the mirror. 

Nothing could’ve prepared me for what I saw when I walked through that door. No training, no lectures, no _personal intuition_. No, nothing could’ve prepared me. Because when I looked in that mirror, the only thing I could see was my face, covered with _the signature inky, black handprint_ _of the most wanted thief in Exandria._


	2. Caleb Widogast and The Eye of Uk'otoa

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> WARNING: This chapter has depictions of murder, violence, and a quick mention of drugs. Please, please, PLEASE read with caution.
> 
> If you enjoy this chapter, don't be afraid to leave a kudos or a comment! I'll hoping to have even more content out for you guys soon. :)

There was a strange appeal to the darkness.

This empty space where my vision started to go fuzzy near the edges. A perfect little corner of my subconscious, my hideaway from reality. The peace I found there was like no other- no one to bother me, no outside interference from the noisy hell that was life. Just me, my thoughts, and the darkness. 

Except that wasn’t really true. 

Someone else was here now, disturbing my quiet little sanctuary. A presence, just beyond my vision, tampering with the quiet.

I saw parts of him in my dreams. The pointed smile, the teasing voice. A pair of soft leather gloves. The smell of ink and leather that hung in the still air. He was impossible to get rid of.

_ “Tell me, Detective. Why are you so scared to let yourself be seen?”  _

His lilting voice seemed to come from every direction, his accented words overpowering my senses. There was no end to the darkness.

_ “Submit to yourself, Caleb. Let go.” _

He placed a hand over my heart, the skin beneath my shirt turning an inky black. The press of his lips on mine felt like a distant memory.

_ “Let go, Caleb. Open your eyes.” _

I reached for him in the darkness, willing him to stay. Why was he doing this? What did he want from me? Everything felt  _ wrong _ . 

I felt the heat of the flames before I even saw them. 

I hadn’t noticed them when he was here. The fire seemed to calm around him, like his presence was a barrier against the searing pain. Nothing was stopping it now.

I felt the smoke pool into my lungs. The harshness of it made my eyes water. I felt like I couldn’t breathe. 

“Please.. _ someone, please, help me…” _

* * *

I shot up in bed, panting as tears streamed down my face. The memories were bombarding me, moments from my past I wished I could forget flashing before my eyes. It still felt far too difficult to breathe.

I heard a scratching at my door, followed by a flurry of angry meowing. The cat,  _ shit _ , I had forgotten. I wasn’t used to another creature depending on me. I could barely take care of myself most days. 

I forced myself out of bed and opened the door, letting the tiny creature run between my legs. He settled himself on the bed, looking at me as if he expected me to join him. I sighed and made my way over, picking him up and swaddling him in some blankets.

“Hello,  _ katze _ . Are you here to make me feel better?”

He nuzzled himself into my leg, purring softly. 

“I suppose I haven’t given you a name yet,  _ katze.  _ I can’t exactly call you that forever.”

The cat started to knead into my pant leg, as if urging me to name him. 

“Hmmmm...what about Engel? It means Angel where I come from.”

He swatted his paw at me, claws raking lightly against my skin.  _ Probably not then. _

“Charlie? Maximillian?”

Again, he swatted me. Maybe it was a game for this little thing, choosing a name. I lightly swatted back. He meowed happily.

“What about... _ Frumpkin _ ? My cat when I was little was named Frumpkin, you know.”

He purred, butting his tiny head into my hand. 

“Frumpkin it is.”

I let Frumpkin snuggle up on my chest, his purring relaxing me enough that I could breathe evenly again. It was nice- the way he kneaded at my chest was a good distraction from my stress. Eventually, I pulled him off of me and headed to the kitchen, looking for some food for the two of us to eat. I knew I would need to get him his own food eventually, but until then, I made do with what I had in the fridge. 

I decided to get ready for the day. I knew Veth needed me in the office by noon and-

_ Veth. Veth had the other earring.  _

My eyes widened as the memories came rushing into my brain. The Shadowhand might not have gotten rid of the earring he stole from me yet. If Veth gave me the one she had-

I ran to the phone, practically ripping it out of the wall. I quickly dialled Veth’s number, hoping to every god behind the Divine Gate that she would answer. She picked up after the third ring.

_ “Caleb?” _ She sounded tired. Looking out my window, I could see that the sun wasn’t even out yet.  _ Whoops. _

“Veth! Do you still have the earring I gave you last night?”

_ “Of course I do, why wouldn’t I? Caleb, it’s four in the morning-” _

“No time to explain. I need you to bring the earring down to the office as soon as you can. It’s  _ urgent! _ ” 

_ “Oh, I am totally going to get you back for this…” _ She grumbled under her breath.  _ “Fine, I’ll be there. Give me an hour.” _

“Done. I’ll see you then.”

_ “Caleb, what’s-” _ I hung up before she could say anything else. 

The thoughts were flowing through my brain far too quickly for me to truly process. If the Shadowhand held onto the earring, there was a possibility that I could establish a line of communication between the two of us. I would finally be able to track him properly. 

I ran to the bathroom in a quick attempt to freshen up before running out of my apartment. As soon as I looked at myself in the mirror, that sense of dread fell over me again. 

It hadn’t taken too much effort to scrub the Shadowhand’s mark off my face the night before. The handprint was made out of water based ink, meaning it came off easily, but the  _ meaning _ was still there. I stared at myself in the mirror, tracing the area of my face where the mark had been. 

Just because it hadn’t taken much effort to get the mark off didn’t mean that I didn’t scrub my face until it was raw. I had studied every single one of his cases- I knew what the mark meant. Stolen.  _ Claimed _ . 

I shook my head, trying desperately to clear the thought from my mind. He had invaded my dreams already. What else was he going to steal from me?

* * *

The office was dark when I arrived. All of the shutters were down and the sign on the front of the building was flipped to closed. There wasn’t a single car in the parking lot. I should’ve been entirely alone until Veth arrived.

Of course that wasn’t the case. This was  _ my life _ .

“Widogast.”

“Wha-  _ Beauregard? _ ”

She was lounging in my large leather chair, legs kicked up to rest on my desk. She was going through some notes, most likely from my filing cabinet,  _ knowing her.  _ She didn’t even look at me as I entered the room. 

“What the hell are you doing here?”

“I’ve got a case for the two of us.” She dropped my notes on the desk, sweeping her legs off of it to stand up. “Murder on the docks, Dairon thinks it’s part of a big conspiracy thing. You in?”

“We haven’t worked a case together in months, Beauregard. Why now?”

“Because you have connections to the police and  _ I don’t. _ Not to mention that we’ve drifted a bit since I got promoted. Don’t you wanna go back to our roots? Catch some dirty criminals together?”

I frowned. “What do my connections to the police have to do with this?”

She sighed, pulling a file out of her jacket and tossing it across the desk to me. “Marius LePual, mid-twenties, a beat cop with the Wildemount PD. He was found on the docks last night, strangled to death.”

I took the file. Crime scene photos showed the body, lying face up on the wooden planks of the Menagerie docks. A half-elf man with blonde hair, a long bruise running its way around his neck. I winced and handed the file back to her. 

“Do they have any idea what the murder weapon was?”

“Coroner says it’s most likely a belt or some other thick material. You see the bruise? It’s way too wide to be a rope or scarf or whatever.”

“Yeah, I figured. What was he doing all the way out on the docks? Police don’t normally send patrols out that far.”

She smirked at me, crossing her arms and leaning against my desk. “You  _ are _ taking the case, right? I can’t be giving out information if you’re not gonna get involved.”

I glared at her. “Of course I’m taking the case. There’s obviously something going on under the surface here.”

I heard the door to the office open. “Caleb? Are you here yet? I have the earring-”

“I’m in here, Veth.”

The door to my office opened as Veth stepped in. Her hair was down instead of the usual braids she kept it in, and I could see the dark circles under her eyes. She looked  _ tired _ .

“I have the- oh! Detective Lionett, how lovely to see you! How is your new position at the Cobalt Soul treating you?”

“It’s alright, thanks. I was just asking Caleb if he wanted to join me on a new case.”

I chuckled. “You were practically begging me, Beau. I’ll take the earring, Veth, thank you. You can take the day off if you’d like, I know you must be tired.”

Veth’s eyes narrowed, like she didn’t believe me. “You promise you won’t call me in the middle of the night looking for clues?”

I chuckled sheepishly, rubbing the back of my neck. “Yes, I promise. Enjoy your rest.”

She looked satisfied. She turned towards Beau. “Take care of him, ok? If he gets hurt-”

Beau saluted at her. “Yes, Ma’am. Don’t worry, Veth. I’ll take care of him.”

Veth nodded before turning and heading out the door. _ “Don’t get into too much trouble!” _

“No promises!” I yelled back. I turned to Beau, the adrenaline of a new case already flooding my system.

“So.” I smiled at her. “Where to?”

* * *

We decided to start at the precinct. I figured Fjord would have some information since he worked with Lepual, and Beau wanted to interrogate some of the victim’s coworkers. She would definitely get more out of them than I would- I had earned myself a bit of reputation around the WMPD.

“Detectives. What can I do for you?” We were greeted by Captain Avantika, the head of the precinct. The look she gave me was  _ unsavory _ at best, downright  _ nasty _ at worst. Out of every person in the WMPD I had managed to annoy over my years of working as a PI, Avantika was definitely the most ruthless.

I elbowed Beau. She gave me a harsh look before turning to Avantika. “Hello, Captain. I apologize for disrupting your morning. I’m sorry to inform you that one of your officers passed away last evening.”

Avantika’s eyes widened. “Really? Who? And why wasn’t the WMPD informed sooner?”

“We came to you as soon as we could, Ma’am. The officer’s name was Marius LePual, a beat cop in the area. We believe he was murdered, and we were hoping to question some of your officers.”

“Yes, I recognize the name. I’ll gather the troops, see if they know anything. Give me a moment.” 

As she turned and walked away, I saw Fjord out of the corner of my eye. His eyes were darting back and forth, and soon as he saw me, he waved me over frantically. He didn’t look the best.

I turned to Beau and whispered to her. “I’ll be right back. Start the investigations without me if you have to.”

“Caleb-”

_ “Trust me!” _

I walked towards Fjord, trying to look inconspicuous as I crossed the busy precinct. He looked way too nervous and I could tell something was eating him from the inside out.

“Fjord, what’s wrong?

He grabbed my wrist, pulling me towards the back of the building. His palms were sweaty, and he kept looking over his shoulder, like he expected someone to be following us.

“You need to come with me.”

He led me down a set of stairs, towards the area of the building I knew belonged to the morgue. He slammed the door open, and I heard a surprised yelp from the center of the room. 

“Sorry, Cad, didn’t mean to scare ya. Just needed a place to talk to Caleb privately, and this was the only place I could think of.”

“Do you need me to leave? It sounds kinda serious.” The firbolg looked concerned, getting up from his chair to walk towards Fjord. 

“Honestly? I’d prefer it if you’d stay. Might help me stay calm.” Fjord smiled nervously at the tall man, reaching out to take his hand. He gave it a little squeeze before releasing it and turning back towards me.

“What’s going on, Fjord? You look like you’re about to be sick.” 

“I know what happened to Marius.”

* * *

Beau rushed down the stairs, throwing the doors open and storming into the room.

“I had to say that I had to use the bathroom in the middle of an interrogation. Do you know how  _ embarrassing _ that is?”

“ _ Please _ , Beauregard, not now. I believe Fjord has some significant leads on this case.”

Beau turned to look at Fjord, cocking an eyebrow.  _ “Do you now?” _

“I-I think so. Can you just sit down,  _ gods _ , you’re starting to stress me out.”

Caduceus pulled his chair over, arranging himself so that Fjord could sit between his legs on the floor. Beau and I took a seat across from him, giving each other concerned looks before turning our attention towards Fjord. He shook his head.

“Look, everyone knows that Avantika is corrupt, right? That’s not a huge surprise. The woman was dishonorably discharged from the military, what else can you expect? Well, it turns out that she has a connection with someone. A guy who goes by the name Vandren.”

Beau and I gave each other a look, but we let Fjord continue.

“When she became Captain, she started making some of the beat cops smuggle stuff into the city for her. Most of it was the normal stuff- drugs, weapons, the odd piece of art. But every once in a while, we would get magical items.”

He reached up for Caduceus’s hand, squeezing it like it was a lifeline. He took a shaky breath.

“There was this one time, I was working with this cop named Sabian. He was a nice enough person and we had known each other for a while, I knew I could trust him. That night, while we were working on the docks, we received a package from one of our contacts. Sabian was acting real weird about it. I saw him keep looking at it, like he couldn’t keep his eyes away.”

He squeezed Caduceus’s hand harder and leaned his back against the firbolg’s legs. 

“The contact had barely even left before Sabian attacked me. He tried to wrestle the package out of my hands, scratching at me like a wild animal. I fought back, of course, but it was enough to send both me and the package off the docks, into the water. I think I must’ve hit my head, because the next thing I knew, I was on the beach, clutching onto the package like my life depended on it.”

Fjord sighed, letting his eyes fall shut. 

“The package was empty. It made no sense- the weight of it was far heavier than a small cardboard box. I decided to dust myself off and go home, no use worrying about something I couldn’t fix. It wasn’t until later when I noticed this on my chest.”

He sat up, unbuttoning his shirt enough that I could see a tattoo- a large yellow eye, right in the center of his chest. Its solid black pupil stared at me, forcing me to look back.

“I have never gotten a tattoo in my life. The day after this showed up, the sword appeared.”

“What sword?” Beau asked, still looking at the lines of the eye. She seemed entranced by it.

“This one.” Fjord held out his hand. There was a flash of light and a spray of water, and a long, slightly curved sword appeared in his hand. The hilt of it was covered in barnacles, and in the pommel, a single yellow eye, glowing in the low light of the morgue. 

“ _ What the hell?” _ Beau yelped, scrambling backwards. I just stared, looking between the tattoo on Fjord’s chest and the eye of the blade. 

“While this is all  _ very impressive _ , what does this have to do with the murder of Marius LePual?”

Fjord sighed, placing the sword on the tiled floor. As soon as it left his hand, there was another flash of light and the sword disappeared. Fjord leaned his back against Caduceus’s legs again and held his head in his hands.

“I was working with him on the docks last night. Someone tried to attack us. Before you ask, I don’t know who it was. It was pitch black out and they were wearing a mask. I was able to escape, but Marius…” He trailed off, his shaky breath coming faster. 

Caduceus rubbed Fjord’s shoulders, willing him to take a deep breath. “It’s ok, you’re safe. Breathe with me, come on…”

Fjord followed Caduceus’s breathing pattern, taking deep shaky breaths as Caduceus whispered encouragements to him. He wiped away some tears that were starting to well up and stared straight into my eyes. 

“There’s one thing I’m certain of. Whoever attacked Marius wasn’t going after him. I think they meant to kill me. I think they were trying to take this thing away from me, and I think they’re prepared to do it by any means necessary.”

* * *

Beau pulled me into the hallway, leaving Fjord and Caduceus to talk in the morgue. “Do you really believe all this?”

I frowned at her. “I see no reason not to. Fjord showed us what he can do, he seems to be telling the truth.”

Beau ran her hands through her hair, frustrated. “I know, I know, it’s just...did you have any idea that he was smuggling shit? What’s to say that he’s lying about killing Marius? I don’t trust him, at least not right now.”

I sighed. I knew Beauregard often felt suspicious of people- it was her  _ job, _ to be fair. It just made no sense to me why Fjord would lie about something like that.

“What if we asked him to bring us to the drop-off point? I’d hate to use him as bait, but if someone really is after him, perhaps we can find the person who killed LePual.”

She paused, considering. “You know...that’s not a bad idea, Caleb. Nice thinking.”

“I try.”

We headed back into the morgue. It looked like Fjord had calmed down quite a bit. Caduceus handed him a glass of water to drink, before looking to us.

“I don’t think he’s safe here, he needs to keep a low profile. I run a safe house out of my parents’ dinner, The Blooming Grove. It’s not much, but I’ve helped a lot of folks get out of some messy situations. He can stay there until you guys catch the killer.”

Fjord piped up from the corner. “Thank you, Cad, but I don’t want to be a burden-”

“ _ Stop it.  _ You’re in danger and you need a place to stay. You’re in no way a burden.”

Fjord stared into his empty glass, blushing slightly. “Are you sure?”

“Positive. Plus, it’ll give me more time to hear some of your incredible jokes.” He winked at Fjord, who just blushed harder.

“ _ Alright,  _ we get it, you’re  _ stupid  _ and _ in love _ , can we please get back to the case now?” Beau was leaning against the wall, her arms crossed as she watched the two men flirt. They blushed, averting their eyes from each other.

I looked to Fjord. “I understand you probably don’t want to get any more involved with this scheme, but you may be the key to finding Marius’s killer. Do you think you could lead us to one of your drop-off points? If we can arrange a stakeout, we may be able to catch your attacker, as well as some of these smugglers.”

He sighed, running his hand through his hair. “I mean, sure? I wanna catch these guys as much as you do, but if somebody attacks me again, I don’t know what I’m gonna do.

Beau walked over to him and placed a hand on his shoulder. ”Don’t worry, we’ll keep you safe, Fjord.” She turned to me. “Come on, let’s go. We can plan the stakeout for later. Maybe tomorrow?”

“Wait! Before you leave.” Fjord cried, quickly standing up to rush over to me. 

“Caleb, if there is any way to get rid of this... _ thing _ that I have, this sword...do you think you can find it? I feel like it’s.. _.influencing _ me.  _ I’m starting to have nightmares _ .” He whispered to me, the fear evident in his voice.

I stood there, looking at my poor friend, manipulated by forces beyond his control. I put my hands in the pockets of my coat, feeling the smooth metal wiring of the earring brush against my skin. I grabbed it, a feeling of unease settling over me.

“I think there’s someone I can talk to about that.”

* * *

“I’m going back to the Cobalt Soul. Gonna see if there’s anything in the files about the tattoo on Fjord’s chest. I  _ swear _ I’ve seen that symbol somewhere.”

“That’s smart. I’ll try to find some information about the package that Fjord got. I’ve got a call to make.”

“Oh, really? To who?”

I glared at her. She glared back. It was fun, this game we played. Always finding answers, never letting the other person know sources. Not only did it fan the flames of our friendly rivalry, it also meant that we didn’t cover the same areas when looking for clues. 

“Fine.  _ Keep your secrets. _ I have  _ plenty _ of my own.” She gave me a casual salute, walking in the direction of the Cobalt Soul. I started walking back towards my office.

After walking for a good ten minutes, I scanned my surroundings before ducking into an abandoned alley. I slipped the earring out of my pocket and put it on, feeling that familiar wave of magical energy pass over me. It felt slightly different, like the frequencies weren’t the same as my previous earring. It must’ve been because this was the other side of the conversation. 

“H-hello? Shadowhand, can you hear me? It’s Detective Caleb Widogast.”

_ ‘You idiot _ .’ my brain told itself.  _ ‘If it’s not him, then whoever has it now knows your name. You just exposed yourself to a criminal. Not that that’s uncommon for someone like you.’ _

I waited in that tiny alley for what felt like hours, even though I knew it was only a few minutes. The seconds ticked by as I waited, watching for that fizzle of magical energy that I had gotten so used to. Eventually, I felt the air around me shift.

_ “Why, Detective, calling me so soon? I didn’t think you were the type to be so desperate.” _

I could _ hear  _ his smirk. His accented voice flowed through my ears, and I struggled not to shudder. 

“Shadowhand.”

_ “That is my name, yes. I like hearing it on your lips.” _

“This is no time for games. I-”

_ “Why, Caleb, you know me by now! It is always time for games-” _

_ “I need information. _ I know that you mostly steal magical items, and my friend has come into contact with something that I believe to be magical. Can you help me or not?”

There was a pause, as if he was considering my offer. His breathing over the earring was so quiet that I had to strain my ears to hear it.

_ “So you need a favor.” _

“I-I suppose.”

_ “You know, Widogast, favors often go both ways.” _

I paused. “What are you saying?”

He chuckled, the warm sound filling my mind.  _ “I will give you information. However, there is something that I would like for you to do for me.” _

I sighed. If I didn’t agree to his demands, it was likely that I would never find out what was wrong with Fjord. But the alternative…

“Fine. What do you want?”

_ “Oh, nothing yet. I think I’ll hold on to my favor. Save it for a rainy day.” _

_ “Fine.  _ Then I need information about-”

_ “Hold on, who said anything about me giving the information out now? Do you have a pen? Paper? Are you in a safe location?” _

I was shocked. “But-”

_ “No buts! I will see you tonight, in your apartment, at 10 pm sharp! You better not be late, Detective. I’m a very busy man.” _

“Shadowhand,  _ wait-” _

I could feel the wave of magical energy bounce back at me as my last message hit a solid wall. I took off the earring and stared at it, the gemstones glittering unnaturally. 

_ He had hung up on me _ . 

I shook my head, trying to clear my thoughts. Who the  _ hell _ did he think he was? 

* * *

I stood in the darkly lit hallway outside my apartment. The single lightbulb that lit the area flickered, and my unease worsened. I checked my watch.

_ 10:03 pm. That wasn’t late, right? _

I took a deep breath, trying to keep a hold of my poker face. I opened the door.

The apartment was dark, exactly as it should be. I couldn’t see much in the low light, but the lack of figures in the shadows was a relief. I let out a breath I hadn’t known I’d been holding and turned on the light.

Immediately, I jumped in surprise. 

He was just... _ sitting there _ . 

_ Petting my cat _ . 

“You’re  _ late _ , Widogast.”

“It’s 10 o’clock!”

“ _ 10:03 _ . You’re three minutes late. One must always be on time for their appointments, Caleb.”

He sat with his legs crossed, running his hand through Frumpkin’s fur. His clothes were much more simple than the ones at the ball- he wore a simple black waistcoat and long black trousers, as well as a long black cloak with the collar popped. The mask covering his features had the same design, and his hands were still covered with those elbow-length gloves. Everything about him  _ screamed _ sophistication, even with simpleness of the outfit. 

Frumpkin meowed as I walked in, but made no effort to leave the Shadowhand’s lap. In fact, he snuggled closer to the man.  _ Traitor. _

“This is a lovely creature. I don’t recall him being here last time I dropped by. What’s his name?”

“Frumpkin. I just got him recently.” I took off my coat, hanging it up and rolling my sleeves up to the elbow. I could see him out of the corner of my eye, tracking my every move. He felt more cat-like than Frumpkin did. 

“That’s a fun name. Off you go,  _ murrpau _ .” He set Frumpkin on the couch and walked over to me, hopping up to sit on my counter. I made a noise of protest.

“So...how shall we do this? Shall we make it a game? I know you love my games.”

_ “Oh gods-” _

“How about this? You may ask me a question, but for every question you ask, I get to ask you one. We both must tell the truth, or else no one gets information.”

I gave him a cautious look. The smirk he threw back at me was blinding, even with the darkness of the room.

_ “Fine. _ I get to go first.”

“Understandable.”

I reached for a napkin, grabbing a pen out of the jar I kept on my counter. I quickly scribbled the eye symbol I saw on Fjord’s chest earlier that day. 

“What do you know about this symbol?”

“ _ Gods _ , that drawing is awful. What even is that?”

“It’s an  _ eye _ . A friend of mine has a marking of it on his chest that he believes in from a magical item.”

_ “Hmmmmm…” _ He studied the eye for a moment, before turning to me. “What color was the eye? Many different deities have eye symbolism.”

“It was yellow. The eye itself had a slitted pupil. It reminded me of a cat, or a serpent.”

“And your friend has no idea what the item itself was?”

“The package it was supposedly in was empty when he awoke. He did have the ability to summon a sword, however. It had the same eye symbol in the handle.”

The Shadowhand paused. “A sword?”

“ _ Ja.” _

“I believe I know what this could be. However, it is my turn to ask you a question.”

I sighed. “Alright, let’s get it over with.”

“Who was that woman you were dancing with at the ball?”

I froze, not expecting that to be his first question. “Why? Are you _ jealous? _ ”

His smirk turned sour. “Please answer the question, Caleb. I will not uphold my end of the bargain if you refuse to keep yours.”

I sighed heavily, running a hand through my hair. His eyes followed my hands, flickering between them and my face. 

“She is an ex. A  _ bad _ ex. That is all I will say.”

He stared at me for a few more seconds before hopping off my counter. He walked back over to Frumpkin and lifted him up, seating himself on the couch.

“Fair enough, I suppose. Your turn.”

I followed him into the living room, taking a seat on the chair across from him. I leaned in a bit, letting his cloaked eyes stare into mine.

“What is the source of this power?”

He leaned back on the couch, his eyes never leaving mind. 

“Have you ever heard the name Uk’otoa?”

I searched my brain, but no such name emerged. I shook my head.

“I didn’t think so. It’s old mythology, almost as old as the gods themselves. Legend has it that a serpent,  _ a leviathan _ , was created by the Betrayer Gods. He was left in charge of the Lucidian Ocean by Zehir, The Cloaked Serpent, when they were banished. Barely anything else is known about him, except that this symbol is  _ a large yellow eye _ .”

I followed his hand as he pointed to the paper where my crude drawing was. His gloved fingertip traced the round eye, the same as the symbol on my friend’s chest. I sucked in a deep breath.

“So..what does that mean for Fjord?”

“My turn first. How do you like your eggs in the morning?”

I scowled at him. “I  _ do not _ have the time to be messing around!”

He scoffed, leaning in close enough that our faces were mere inches apart. I sucked in a breath. He hadn’t even done anything to me, and it felt like he was invading  _ every little bit _ of my personal space.

“If you have no interest in playing by the rules, I am  _ perfectly happy _ to leave you to your evening. I suppose you have no need for my information.”

He stood up silently, back rigid as he headed towards my window. I grabbed his wrist before he could even step away.

“No! Wait!  _ Please. _ I _ need  _ your help.”

He paused, still facing away from me. He turned towards me slowly, a smile gracing the lower half of his face. I noticed it didn’t seem to reach his eyes, even hidden behind the mask.

“That’s more like it. In that case, I change my question.”

He walked towards me, sliding into my lap so that his legs were kicked up over the arms of the chair. He leaned in close to whisper in my ear.

_ “Do I make you nervous?” _

I shuddered. His low voice seemed to dance across my nerves, sending tingles down my spine. I bit my lip and nodded, eyes shut tight. It felt more safe that way, like if I couldn’t see him, he wouldn’t be able to see me.

He took my chin in his hand, forcing me to look into his eyes. “Aloud, please. I want to hear you say it.”

I opened my eyes, felt him tracking my motions. My throat felt raspy as I answered. “ _ Yes. _ You make me incredibly nervous. I don’t know who you are, or what you know, or how you found me. I don’t know what you’re planning. I don’t know why you  _ interest me so much _ , why you have such an effect on me. And all I want to do is  _ know.  _ Knowledge is  _ power _ , and between the two of us, you  _ clearly _ are in the position of power. So,  _ yes,  _ that makes me nervous. Far more nervous than I care to admit.”

He stared at me for a few moments, the air between us heavy with tension. He smiled at me again, this one lighting up in his eyes in a way I had never seen before. He pecked me on the cheek before climbing off of me, settling himself on the couch beside Frumpkin again.

“Wonderful, darling. Your turn. Although I suppose I already know what you’re going to ask. You want to know what exact magical object your friend has,  _ don’t you?” _

I was still thinking there, shocked into silence. I quickly shook myself out of my stupor, nodding my head.

“Well, of course you do! My bet is that it’s an Eye of Uk’otoa, commonly referred to as Orbs. They often hold a fragment of the Serpent’s power. If your friend has one, he has most likely, for lack of a better term,  _ swallowed _ it and absorbed its power. Thus, the sword he can summon.”

I nodded, taking in the information. “Is there any way to get it out of him?”

He sighed, shaking his head. “Not to my knowledge, unfortunately. Eyes of Uk’otoa are quite rare. Worthy a shiny copper on the market.”

I nodded again, letting the information sink into my brain. “I’ll need to discuss this with Beauregard. Do you have anything else to ask of me?”

He thought to himself for a moment. A sigh escaped his lips.  _ “Is it working?” _

I frowned. “Is  _ what _ working?”

He opened his mouth to respond, before snapping it shut and shaking his head. “No, nothing. It was stupid, forget it.”

He stood up, taking a moment to pet Frumpkin again. “I suppose I’ll take my leave now. I wouldn’t want to overstay my welcome.”

I stood up from my chair. “Are you sure? I honestly don’t mind the company.”

He turned to me, smiling again, although this time his eyes looked slightly sad. “I’m alright. This won’t be the last time you see me, Detective,  _ trust me. _ I must be going.”

He walked to my window, opening it and setting a foot on the ledge outside.  _ “See you soon.” _

He winked at me before diving out the window. I ran over, trying to catch sight of him in the darkness, but he was already gone.

I sighed and turned back towards the couch. Frumpkin was finally sitting up, and he meowed at me as I walked over and began to pet him. 

“What have I gotten myself into,  _ katze? _ ”

* * *

“Where the hell do you get information like this from? I scoured the  _ entire _ Cobalt Soul Archives and I couldn’t find a single piece of info. Meanwhile, here comes  _ Caleb Wiodgast _ ,  _ PI Extraordinaire _ , with the entire case file in his back pocket.”

I sighed as I stared out the window, listening to Beau rant. “It’s not my fault the Cobalt Soul doesn’t make use of its connections. I basically have the entire city of Wildemount in my phone book.”

“Yeah, well, your information’s shady. Cobalt Soul only uses verified sources, you know that.” She gripped the steering wheel hard, turning sharply once we reached a corner. “How far are we from the drop-off site, Fjord?”

The half-orc picked his head up from where he was lying down in the back seat. “Take your next right and we should be there. I’d park a little farther away, though, it’s kinda out in the open. Not a great place for a stakeout.”

“Got it. Caleb, do you see any alleyways or anything we can stow the car in?”

I scanned my eyes across the dark streets. Fjord was right- most areas near the docks were out in the open, so there weren’t many places to hide the car. Thankfully, I saw an alleyway close to the docks that would keep us well hidden. 

“Over there.”

“Perfect.” She pulled into the alleyway and turned the car off as we all got settled in our seats. We had all done stakeouts before and we knew what they meant- long hours with  _ lots of waiting _ .

It took about two hours before I let out my first yawn of the evening. I hadn’t slept much the night before- I sat awake for most of it, petting Frumpkin and stressing over the information the Shadowhand had given me. Fjord picked his head up from the backseat.

“I can take watch if you guys wanna rest. I know we’re all kind of tired.”

Beau twisted in her seat to face him. “You sure, Fjord? I can stay up with you.”

“Nah, it’s fine. You two look exhausted and I’m feeling  _ far _ too restless to go to sleep right now. I’ll wake you up if I find anything, promise.”

Beau and I glanced at each other. I nodded. The idea of rest sounded incredibly tempting. She shrugged, leaning back and closing her eyes. “Good enough for me.”

“Goodnight, Fjord. Wake us up if you see anything.”

“You got it, Caleb.”

The car seat was uncomfortable, but I had definitely slept in worse places. I arranged myself as best as I could, shut my eyes, and willed sleep to take me.

* * *

The darkness washed over me once again. I felt the bustling noise of Wildemount fade, until I was surrounded by stillness. I took a deep breath and revelled in the silence. This was the only place I could find peace nowadays.

I knew _ he _ wasn’t here now. I couldn’t feel his presence. There was a vast emptiness in the darkness, the place I knew he was supposed to be. The lack of company didn’t bother me as much as I thought it would. 

I wandered for a while. That’s all I could really do in this space. There was no furniture, no other people to converse with. The only thing I could see was the dark horizon, never getting any closer no matter how much I walked towards it. 

I walked for a long time. There was no thought to my movement, only the need to feel progress, _to do_ _something_ while in this state. I knew I wasn’t actually _moving_ anywhere, but I couldn’t help myself. Eventually, I stopped, taking a look at my surroundings. Everything was the same as it had always been. I sighed. 

I sat down in the middle of the floor. The darkness pulsated around me, as if it was questioning me for stopping my death march. I kept my mouth shut and closed my eyes. The darkness behind my eyelids felt more personal. 

I felt like I had just closed my eyes before they snapped back open, this time in the passenger’s seat of the car. Beau was shaking me awake, yelling at me. I could barely make out the words.

_ “Caleb! _ Wake the hell up!  _ Caleb! _ ”

“ _ Was? _ What is going on, Beauregard, why are you  _ shouting _ ?”

She stopped shaking me, grabbing my shoulders and looking straight into my eyes. For the first time since I’d known her, she looked  _ terrified.  _ I felt a cold wave of fear pass through me.

“Caleb. Fjord’s  _ gone _ .”

* * *

Beau ran to the other side of the car, opening the passenger door and tugging me out. I stumbled after her as she began to run through the empty alley.

“Fjord!  _ Fjord! Where are you?” _

I managed to catch up with her, running like my life depended on it. With how scared she looked, _ it probably did _ . I had never seen her so afraid before.

“What do you mean  _ he’s gone? _ ”

“Exactly what I said! I went to sleep, I woke up, and he wasn’t in the car. No note,  _ nothing! _ ” She stopped for a second, scanning her eyes around the alleyway. Her gaze landed on something near the docks, and she took off running in that direction.  _ “Fjord!” _

I ran after her, freezing when I got to the head of the alley. Fjord was standing on the docks, facing away from us. He stood in front of two individuals, both too covered in shadows for me to make out their faces. I couldn’t see Fjord’s face, but the way he was standing made me think that this interaction was  _ not going to be pretty _ .

I ran after Beauregard, stopping only once I reached Fjord’s side. In my hurry to join them, I had failed to notice what was in Fjord’s right hand.

He grasped the sword tightly, the grip slick with salt water and covered in barnacles. The eye in the pommel was flickering wildly, moving every direction as though it could  _ see. _ The orb glowed a faint golden hue, and I could  _ feel  _ the magical energy radiating off of it. 

I looked at Fjord's face. His jaw was clenched, his face set into a hard expression. His shoulders were tight with tension, and as I followed his gaze towards the two strangers, I could see why.  _ They weren’t strangers _ .

The shorter woman was human, sharp eyes staring directly at Fjord. She wore a scar across her lip like a badge of honor, and sitting on her hip was a loaded pistol. I recognized her as Sergeant Vera, Avantika’s right hand woman. My hand automatically strayed to my hip, where I knew my own gun was kept beneath my coat.

The other woman was tall.  _ Very tall. _ She was built like a tank, and I recognized this one as Officer Bouldergut, the WMPD’s first and only ogre cop. I knew she didn’t have any weapons on her- she didn’t need any to crush you like a bug. Avantika kept her around because she was  _ useful _ , which meant she could lift heavy objects and break every bone in your body. 

“Well, well,  _ well _ . If it isn’t  _ Officer Tusktooth _ . Here to finish your delivery? Avantika’s still waiting on that package you failed to deliver. Useless little _ runt.” _

Bouldergut chortled. “Huh.  _ Runt.” _

Fjord grimaced, gripping the sword tighter. The golden eye was flashing brightly, almost blinding me when it happened to shine in my direction. I winced under its harsh gaze.

“Who killed Marius?” The question that left Fjord’s lips was barely a question- it sounded more like a  _ growl _ than anything. His shoulders somehow became impossibly more tense, his glare sent straight to the two women in front of him.

“Oh, isn’t it obvious?  _ Avantika _ . She was trying to attack  _ you _ , but she told me she didn’t mind taking the little weasel out instead. He never did work quite as hard as the rest of us.” She smirked, the sly smile making her scar stretch across her lips in the most unsettling way. I could feel Fjord’s anger radiating off of him, and I swore it was spreading to me. I scowled, hand reaching for my gun.

“Ah!” Vera drew her gun, pointing it directly at me. “ _ Ah ah ah! _ Tell your dirty private eye to put his gun on the floor or  _ else _ .”

“Or else  _ what?” _ I spat at her. “You’ll shoot me? That’s not a threat.  _ That’s a Sunday night-” _

As soon as the words left my mouth, a piercing hot pain tore through my left shoulder. A trail of smoke spilled out of the barrel of Vera’s gun, her scar stretching further as she smiled widely. I could feel my coat becoming soaked with the blood from my shoulder. I didn’t even think before I grabbed my gun and aimed it directly at Vera’s head.

I pulled the trigger.

She ducked out the way just in time and hid behind a row of crates. I saw Beau pull out her gun, leaping over a stack of crates to hide behind them. Fjord and I ran to join her. All I could see was smoke and gunfire. 

“What the  _ hell _ are we gonna do now? One step outside these crates and we’re gonna get some new haircuts.” Beau swore as she peeked over the top of the crate. She ducked back down just in time to avoid a bullet flying into her skull. 

I grasped at my shoulder and looked to Fjord. He was staring at the eye in his sword, his eyes almost glassy. 

“Fjord? Are you alright?”

His eyes snapped to me, looking confused for a moment before nodding. He let go of the sword, letting it fade into nothingness once again. 

“I think I have an idea. Just- just trust me, okay?”

I gave him a confused look, but I nodded. “Lead the way.”

He nodded, the look in his eyes determined. He raised his hands above his head and slowly stood up from behind the crates.

“Vera! Hold your fire!”

“For you? _A dirty little_ _runt?_ I don’t think so.” She aimed her gun directly at Fjord’s head, smiling viciously. I was starting to lose trust in Fjord’s plan.

“I wouldn’t do that if I were you! Because I know something that both _ you and Avantika _ don’t!”

Vera’s aim faltered slightly, but she didn’t drop the gun. “And what exactly is that?”

Fjord dropped his arms and smirked. The way the smile tugged at his lips felt  _ wildly _ unnatural, like the smirk belonged to a different person. I felt the air shift, the tension between the two sides thick enough to slice with a knife.

“Friends come in all shapes and sizes. But this friend of mine?  _ He doesn’t really like you.” _

Fjord pointed towards the two women, fingertips practically fizzling with magical energy. From my spot behind the crate, I could barely see his face, but I could see his eyes. As he spoke, they seemed to roll back into his head, the yellow irises being replaced by solid black voids. They were dark and they seemed to have no end to them. When he opened his mouth again, the voice that came out was not my friend’s. It was deep and echoing, and when he spoke, I knew this being was  _ ancient _ .

**_“Don’t just stand there. What are you waiting for? Come!”_ **

Fjord’s head turned towards the sea, the movement jerky and abnormal. As soon as he set his black eyes upon the still waves, they began to boil and churn wildly, like a storm had hit the coast of Wildemount without any warnings. 

As soon as it had started, the bubbling of the water stopped, the waves becoming far too still for my liking. I waited, holding my breath, expecting some kind of magical force to smite me where I stood. 

It was silent for about ten seconds. The waves barely moved and I could feel everyone holding their breath, waiting for the trigger to be pulled. Something stepped out of the water.

It was... _ big _ . 

A large, ape-like beast climbed onto the docks, slamming its fists into the wooden planks. It was easily over 8 feet in height, and one of its fists looked bigger than my torso. It looked to Fjord, who pointed towards Vera and Bouldergut, their eyes wide as the creature’s head swivelled in their direction. I swore I heard Vera yelp in fear.

**_“Barlgura. Leave no trace of them.”_ **

There was no way to describe the sound that left the Barlgura’s mouth. To say it sounded otherworldly would be a  _ severe _ understatement- the roar of the beast sounded like The Nine Hells incarnate. It bounded towards the two women, arms slamming down as it tried to grab them. Vera fired her gun at it, but the bullets practically bounced off the demon’s tough skin. I shut my eyes out of fear. If I knew the power of beings from beyond the Material Plane, I knew this would be  _ carnage _ .

It didn’t last long. Their screams were clipped short, but I still shuddered as the sound rang through my ears. I heard a splash as the Barlgura lept back into the water. I kept my eyes shut until Beau reached over and patted me on the shoulder. 

“It’s gone, Caleb. You can open your eyes.”

I opened my eyes slowly and peeked my head over my barricade of crates. Vera and Bouldergut were gone. The only reason I knew they had been there at all was because Vera had dropped her gun. It sat, surrounded by bullet casings, in a small pool of blood. I let out a heavy sigh. 

Fjord was still standing, pointing to the spot where the women had been. The magical energy around him faded, and he lowered his arm slowly. As soon as it touched his side, he collapsed. 

_ “Fjord!”  _

Beau and I ran to him. Beau immediately shifted his head so that he could lean against her lap comfortably. I reached over to grab his hand and tried to wake him up.

After a few seconds, his eyes fluttered open. They were no longer black, but the bright golden color that I knew so well. He groaned, lifting a hand to his head.

“What happened?”

_ “What happened? _ You happened, dude! What the hell was that thing?”

Fjord opened his mouth to answer, before slapping a hand over it and scrambling to get out of Beau’s lap. He managed to crawl away a couple feet before he doubled over, coughing up something onto the docks. The item was small and round, and once he stopped coughing, I could see that it was covered in seaweed. I reached towards it and grabbed it, unwrapping the layers of the plant one at a time.

In the center of the slimy mess was an orb. It glowed with a golden light, and as I turned it over in my hands, I saw a jagged mark down the center that resembled a slitted pupil. It  _ pulsed _ with magical energy, the waves of intent sending tingles down my spine.  _ An Eye of Uk’otoa. _

"Uh, Beau? Is there a safe in the Cobalt Soul?

She looked at me, confusedly. "Yeah, of course. Why do you ask?"

I held up the orb. “I have an inkling that we might have something worth protecting on our hands.”

* * *

The safe door closed behind me with a satisfying  _ thud. _ I twisted the lock shut and tugged on it a few times to make sure it was secure.

“I’d recommend transferring that to somewhere safer soon. It should be fine for now, but my sources tell me that an orb like that can sell for quite a bit on the black market.”

Fjord nodded. He sat on the floor facing the safe and he was staring at it like his life depended on it. “Trust me, I’ll be getting rid of it as soon as possible. I don’t like what the power in that thing did to me.”

“How’s your shoulder feeling, Widogast?” Beau walked past me, slapping her hand against my back. I winced. I had managed to get my shoulder bandaged in the Cobalt Soul infirmary, but the pain was still there. I should’ve asked if they had any painkillers.

“I’m fine. The pain’s pretty bad, but I’ve been through worse. How’re you feeling, Fjord?” I turned to him, raking my eyes over his expression. He sighed.

“I don’t know.  _ Not good? _ My captain tried to kill me, I got possessed by some eldritch being, I summoned a demon that killed two of my coworkers and worst of all? We don’t have enough evidence to get Avantika behind bars. Not only that, but if I made any statement against her, I’d probably be kicked off the force and attacked by her goons. So, in reality? I’m feeling pretty shitty right now.”

I sat down next to him and clasped my hand on his shoulder. “I know this is not the most ideal situation, but I  _ promise _ you, we will find a way to take Avantika down. She’s caused enough problems in this city and I don’t need her causing any more. What  _ you _ need to do is lay low. Only interact with the force when necessary. Stay with Caduceus in his safe house.  _ Keep yourself safe. _ When we do eventually convict her, you’re going to be one of our most important witnesses, and we need you  _ alive _ to testify against her.”

Fjord nodded. “Thank you, Caleb. I’ll stay safe.” 

He stood up, loosened his tie, and looked to Beau. “Can you help me make sure that it’s moved properly tomorrow? I need some sleep.”

“I’ve got it covered. Get some rest, Fjord.” Beau nodded towards him. Fjord grabbed his coat and hat, throwing us a wave before heading out the door. 

Beau sighed and leaned against an empty desk. “Well. Another case, open and shut.”

I nodded, lost in thought. “I guess I won’t be seeing you again for a while, huh?”

She chuckled. “Don’t be so sure about that. Wildemount’s full of crime and we make a good team. Who knows? Maybe we’ll track down Avantika together.”

I smiled and rubbed at my eyes. I didn’t realize how tired I was until now. The adrenaline that came with the pain was starting to wear off. “That would be nice. I’m gonna head home, I guess I’ll see you when I see you.”

“Yeah, I’m gonna head back too. See you later, Caleb. Don’t do anything stupid.” She threw me a salute before heading out the door. 

_ “Don’t tell me what to do!” _ I yelled after her, smiling. She kept walking, but lifted her arm up to flip me off. I chuckled. 

I took one last look around the Soul’s Archives. I knew things weren’t finished with the WMPD. Avantika was a threat to Wildemount and her “spotless record” had more criminal coverups than every convict in Rosohna’s prisons combined. But closing this case felt like an ending. Whether it was the end of a chapter or a book, I had no idea, but the sense of finality was immeasurable. I sighed, turned off the lights, and headed back to my apartment. 

* * *

I fell asleep on the couch that night. I was so exhausted that I couldn’t even make it to my bedroom. Frumpkin curled up with me, his solid weight on my chest feeling more grounding than anything had in a long time. My mind was gone as soon as my head hit the cushions.

I remember waking up in the middle of the night, not quite sure of what time it was. I heard my window creak open, and even through my semi-conscious mind, I felt a wave of panic.

“Caleb?” A voice whispered through the darkness of my apartment. In the back of my drowsy mind, I knew it sounded familiar, but I just couldn’t place it. I let my eyes close and sunk further into the couch cushions.

I knew the figure was walking around my apartment, but I could barely hear their footsteps. They seemed to stop in front of the couch, and I heard them take in a sharp breath. 

“Ah.”

There were a few moments of silence before I heard a rustling of fabric. A warm weight settled over me and I felt a press of lips against my forehead. I sighed softly, snuggling closer to the warmth. A quiet sigh escaped from my visitor’s lips. 

I’m not quite sure what happened after that, but I do know that the figure left out the window again. I fell asleep easily again, surrounded by the warmth they had left me.

I woke up late the next day. The couch was never the most comfortable option for rest, and I knew I was going to have a crick in my neck for the rest of the day. I gathered the blanket I was swaddled in and prepared to feed Frumpkin his breakfast.

As I collected the material, I realized it wasn’t a blanket. The fabric was actually a coat, although it didn’t look like any of the coats that I kept in my closet. It was a long black cloak, the collar intricately designed with silver accents. I racked my brain trying to think of where I had seen it before, but before I could, my eyes landed on my kitchen counter.

_ No… _

I threw the coat onto the counter, grabbing the letter. I scanned my eyes over it as fast as I could, but I heard the phone ring in the hallway. I ran to grab it.

_ “Hallo?” _

I heard Beau’s voice over the line, panicked beyond belief. I felt a wave of fear wash over me.

_ “Caleb!? Caleb, are you there? We need your help, everything’s gone to shit-” _

“Beau, Beau,  _ slow down.  _ What’s going on? Is Fjord there?”

_ “The Eye, Caleb! Someone broke into the Cobalt Soul and stole it!” _

I paled. It was then that I actually looked at the note in my hands, shaking like a leaf.

_ Dearest Caleb, _

_ I thoroughly enjoyed our conversation the other night. I hope you did as well. I will admit that I stayed up quite late that night thinking about the type of person you are. Shame on you, robbing me of my beauty sleep like that. Who’s the real thief here? _

_ Well, I suppose that would be me. I must confess that you were not the only thing I was thinking about that night, although you have taken up a considerable portion of my mind. No, I was reviewing our conversation, and I remembered that you were concerned about an Eye of Uk’otoa. As I told you before, those relics are worth quite a copper on the market, and I wasn’t about to let you conceal one from me this easily. _

_ So, I did some research, as I always do. The Cobalt Soul’s Archives are quite well-protected. However, did you know that the safes in their Archives use one of the most simple locking mechanisms in all of Wildemount? That’s very interesting.  _

_ I do hope we can have more conversations soon. I am looking forward to getting my coat back. I must say, it looks rather dashing on you. Keep it safe until we meet again!  _

_ Love, _

_ Your Shadowhand _

I stared at the letter in my hand for what felt like hours. The looping handwriting danced across my vision, and in the corner of my mind, I could hear Beau yelling into the receiver.

_ “Caleb? Caleb! What’s going on?” _

I held the phone to my ear, my eyes still wide. I felt my lips move before my brain could register what they were saying.

“I think I know who stole it.”


	3. Caleb Widogast and The Sweet Kiss of Death

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So...it's been a while.  
> I sincerely apologize for how long this chapter has taken me! Once school started back up, I've had no time to dedicate to this, and to be completely honest, I had lost motivation for a while. I truly hope you enjoy this chapter though, and I'll try to get the next chapter out a ~little~ quicker!  
> Thank you so much to everyone who is enjoying this fic, and a special thanks to Eva from the ETFC for being my beta! She helps make sure that my writing is actually readable lmaooo.

Everyone knows that Wildemount City is full of crime. Most people make their living off of it, whether that’s crime lords, smugglers, or private investigators. People keep their business to themselves, and they move on with their criminal lifestyles. But that’s not how I see it. 

It’s my job to make other peoples’ business my business. I know I’m not the only one. And I’m _certainly_ not the most intimidating. 

_“Detective Widogast_ , are you listening to me? You are involved in this case, so _pay attention._ It would not be difficult for me to find agents willing to replace you if you are so content to daydream.”

“My apologies, Expositor, it won’t happen again. I just couldn’t help but be lost in my thoughts.”

“Hmm. We’ll be closing the vaults soon so we can conduct a more thorough investigation. I’ll ask Detective Lionett to escort you home.”

One of these more intimidating characters would be Expositor Dairon, leader of the Wildemount Cobalt Soul. The amount of power that they held over the justice system was remarkable, and I was not looking to get on their bad side. That being said, it seemed as though people found my natural charisma slightly.. _.irritating._

“Expositor, do you mind if I have a final look around? I don’t want to miss any details.” 

They paused, sighing as they stared at the floor. “Of course, Detective. Make it quick.”

“Thank you. I’ll be out before you know it."

 _“I doubt that,”_ I heard them grumble under their breath before heading back towards their office. 

I turned to look at the scene around me. The black handprint stared at me, positively mocking in its obviousness. The side of my face felt like it was burning, a reminder of what he had left me with barely a week ago. I scowled, remembering how easily I had let him get away. _Why did I let him get away?_

“Uhhhh, Caleb, you okay? It looks like your brain is about to explode.”

I turned away from the handprint to look at Beauregard. She was sitting on the desk next to the vault, staring at me like I was insane. Maybe I was. It certainly felt like my brain was slipping away from me. I shook my head. 

“He got away from me. _Again_.”

“You can’t blame yourself for that, Caleb.”

 _“Why not?”_ I spat at her. “I was the one who suggested that we put the Eye here. I’m the one who’s supposed to be tracking down the Shadowhand. This is my responsibility.”

“You didn’t know that he would go for the Orb. You need to calm down.”

I sighed, rubbing my hands over my eyes. My head was pounding and my limbs felt heavy. 

_“Schiesse…”_

Beau gave me a hard stare. “Go home, Caleb. You’re obviously tired.”

I shook my head. “There are details here that I still need to investigate.”

“You _need_ to rest. The Cobalt Soul is conducting an investigation as we speak. If we find anything, I’ll let you know immediately, _I promise.”_

I sighed, nodding. “Can I at least have the current file?” 

Beau sighed softly under her breath, picking up a file from the desk. She tossed it to me and I fumbled with it for a second before catching it.

“Thanks. I guess I’ll see you later.”

“Get some rest, Caleb."

“Yeah, yeah.” I waved her off as I left the building.

* * *

My apartment was dark when I opened the door. I paused immediately, sweeping my eyes over the room to make sure that I was alone. The only movement that I saw was Frumpkin, kneading his paws into the chair in the corner of the living room. I sighed happily, grateful that I did not have to deal with any mysterious thieves tonight. I tossed the file and my coat onto the coffee table before slumping face first into the couch. 

Immediately, something felt wrong. 

Instead of the rough material of the couch that I was so used to, my face hit soft fabric. In my haste to rush to the Cobalt Soul, I had forgotten about the long black coat that had been wrapped around me as I slept. 

I sat up slowly, grabbing the coat so I could inspect it. The accents on the collar gleamed softly, the silver thread shifting in a way that looked almost iridescent. As I ran my fingers over the embroidery, I felt a shock of energy through my spine. 

With a feeling of hesitancy, I stood and slipped the coat on. 

Immediately, I could feel that shock rushing through my veins. My heartbeat felt like it was rushing a mile a minute, and there was a strong ringing in my ears, so much so that I felt the beginnings of a headache form. I closed my eyes to try to block out the noise, but I just felt dizzy. I focused on the strange ringing noise instead, willing it to go away. After a few moments, it stopped abruptly, leaving a silence that seemed to smother the room. I carefully opened my eyes.

I was confused. The room looked the same, but there was something... _off_ about it. Like someone had snuck into my apartment and had shifted all of my furniture two inches to the left. I didn’t realize what was wrong until I looked down at my feet.

I was _floating._

The edges of the coat were curling up towards me, like they were being held up by some invisible grip. My feet hovered a few inches above the floor, swaying softly back and forth as I stared in disbelief. I thought my mind was playing tricks on me, but sure enough, I was floating, suspended gently in mid-air like a graceful bird. The sound of my own laughter shocked me out of my haze, and I landed, my feet hitting the floor. 

I walked over to the mirror in my bedroom and began to inspect myself. The coat was well-made, there was no denying that. Even without the levitation magic, the quality of the fabric was exquisite and the embroidery was more detailed than anything I had ever seen. It must’ve cost a fortune. I almost felt guilty for putting it on.

Well... _almost._ I hadn’t forgotten who the owner was. 

My musings were interrupted by the sound of the phone ringing. I took one last look at myself in the mirror before heading into the hallway. 

“Hallo?”

_“Ahh, Detective Widogast! It’s Essek, I may need your help-”_

“It’s good to hear from you, Herr Thelyss. How was your trip?”

_“Positively wonderful, thank you for asking. As I said before though, I may need your help on a case. Can you meet me at the Lucid Bastion? As soon as you can, please.”_

“Of course, I’ll be there soon. What seems to be the problem?”

_“Ahhh, you see, there’s the issue. It’s about my father.”_

I frowned in confusion. “Your father?”

_“Yes. It appears that he’s dead.”_

* * *

The scene was swarming with police cars and emergency vehicles when I arrived. I stepped out of my small, beat-up car, my eyes scanning the crowd for any sign of Essek. Instead, I locked eyes with Captain Avantika. 

She was standing in front of a large iron gate, blocking off a stone path that I assumed led to the front of the estate. The house itself was _huge_ , I could’ve called it a mansion. Tall, dark stained wood made up the sides of the house, while picturesque stained glass windows decorated the front. It was elaborate, elegant, and _way_ too expensive for my tastes. 

I strolled up to Avantika, hands stuck into my pockets. In my rush to get to the crime scene, I had replaced my usual, ragged coat with the new gift that had been left behind for me. I could feel her eyes assessing me as I made my way over.

“New coat, Detective? I didn’t think you could afford something so... _flashy.”_

I nodded to her grimly. “Captain.”

We glared at each other for a few moments before she sighed in annoyance, clearly not used to anyone challenging her authority. She jabbed a finger towards the inside of the house. 

“Coroner’s in there, as well as your favorite lackey. At least put him to use today, eh? He’s certainly no help in the precinct.”

I scoffed, but nodded, making my way past the large gate and into the estate. 

Fjord waved me over as soon as he saw me. He and Caduceus were standing over a body, as well as a tall drow figure that I didn’t recognize. Caduceus seemed to be examining the body, while Fjord asked the drow man questions. 

The drow turned towards me as I approached, holding out his hand. “Hello! You must be Detective Widogast. Essek’s told me all about you.”

I shook his hand. “Ah, _hallo,_ yes, that is me. I’m afraid I don’t know who you are, Mister…?”

The drow smiled. “Thelyss, _Verin_ Thelyss. Essek is my older brother. And _that-_ ” He turned to look towards the body on the floor. “Is my father. What’s left of him, anyway.”

I frowned, taking a glance towards the corpse. “You don’t seem that upset about your father’s death.”

He shook his head. “Hard to be upset over the man who practically despised me.”

“Was your relationship with him strained?” I reached into my pocket to grab my notebook, but realized I had left it in my other coat. I swore under my breath. Fjord silently handed me a small notepad, and I nodded at him in thanks. 

Verin chuckled harshly. “What, between me and dear old dad? I mean, _yeah._ Everyone in the family had some issue with him. He was a real stuffy sort, strict about traditions. But I wouldn’t kill him, no matter how much I hated him.”

“Detective, come look at this.” Caduceus called me over from where he was perched above the body, studying it intently. I kneeled down next to him. 

He held up the victims hand, running his finger along the arm. 

“You see those veins? Now, I don’t know how much you know about anatomy, but blood isn’t usually black and nasty like that. If you wanna hear my opinion, I’d bet that someone has been messing with it a bit. Probably some kind of poison, I’d need to take it back to the lab to identify it though.” 

I nodded, scanning my eyes over the dead drow’s body. Running along the arms, down the legs, even up the neck were black veins, arching and stretching over the skin. The anguished look on the man’s face told me just how deadly the supposed poison was. I shuddered.

“-already told you, Essek, I was out of the house for the day. What do you want me to say?”

“ _Mother,_ you can’t just- _Caleb!”_

I turned away from the corpse to look towards the voice calling my name. Essek descended the large staircase, followed by a stiff-looking woman in an elegant dress. 

“Caleb, I would like to introduce you to my mother, Dierta Thelyss: head of Den Thelyss and assistant to the Bright Queen.”

Wildemount is full of intimidating characters, but none have ever struck a chord with me more than Dierta Thelyss. Her name is well-known now, of course. It’s not easy to get away with a long string of murdered spouses like that; one is bound to be caught eventually. But in that moment, I had no idea who she was, and I wasn’t sure I wanted to know. Her eyes carried a distaste for anything they happened to land on and her cheekbones looked sharp enough to cut glass. Not a single hair was out of place as she descended that staircase. She scanned the room and I felt a chill run down my spine as she locked eyes with me. She exuded luxury, intelligence, and most of all, _power._

“Lovely to meet you, Detective. I assume you’re handling this _ridiculous_ investigation? The Thelyss family does not need this sort of negative attention right now.”

I shook myself out of my stupor and held out my hand towards her. “Yes, ma’am, I will be looking into this case. What do you mean when you say that the family doesn’t need the attention?”

“I don’t have the time to explain the complexities of politics to someone like you.” Her mouth, decorated with elegant black lipstick, crinkled in disgust as she looked at my outstretched hand, before turning and walking away. I looked towards Essek in confusion, who sighed and gestured for me to follow him. 

We walked through many long corridors before we eventually reached what I assumed was the backyard. The grass was trimmed short and neat, and there were a few benches and chairs spread around the lawn for us to sit on. 

“Your mother is an... _interesting_ character.”

Essek sighed in resignation. “That she is. She means well, truly, but...she can be difficult sometimes.” He ran a hand through his hair before turning and smiling at me uneasily. 

I placed my hand on his from across the table. “Are you alright, Essek? You seem stressed. I know that you must be grieving-”

“Grieving? Hah! That man did nothing but question and ridicule me. I couldn’t care less about him.” His face tightened in frustration. I squeezed his hand before pulling away, giving him a bit of space. 

He sighed, rubbing at his temples. “Enough about that. Please tell me you have some clues, either in this case or the other. I feel as though I am at my wits end.”

“In the Shadowhand case? I am trying my best but he is...elusive. His behavior is not typical for most thieves in Wildemount.”

“Have you interacted with him directly?” Essek’s eyes widened in surprise.

“Well, it might be better to say that he interacted with _me_ directly.” I chuckled self-consciously. “During the Policeman’s Ball, he cornered me. I tried to apprehend him, but he slipped away. Since then, he’s been taunting me.” I sighed, running a hand through my hair. 

“Taunting? In what way…” His eyes followed my hands as I wrapped my coat tighter around myself, trying to keep out the chill of the day. “Caleb, where did you get that coat?”

I looked down at the object in question, trying to avoid Essek’s gaze. The side of my face burned with guilt, the invisible handprint carving a mark into my skin. 

“His behavior is...unnatural. He’s been leaving gifts for me, leaving notes in my apartment, offering me assistance with cases. He’s toying with me, trying to get me to lower my guard. If I wanted to be childish about it, I would almost call it _flirting._ ”

Essek was silent, leaning back in his chair with a pensive look on his face. He looked deep in thought.

I mumbled under my breath so that Essek would not hear. 

_“Would you believe it’s almost working?”_

* * *

The strong stench of formaldehyde hit my nose as I pushed open the door to the morgue. Caduceus’s head popped out from behind a door, a pleasant smile spreading across his face as his eyes landed on me. 

“Detective! Perfect timing, I was just about to examine the body again.”

“I heard. Officer Fjord gave me the key to this place a while ago and I’ve been meaning to make use of it. How are things with him, by the way?”

“With Fjord? Oh, swell. He says he’s been staying at the safehouse, but that won’t be enough if he’s still coming into work, sadly. The Captain is one tough cookie, I’ll tell you that.” He opened one of the freezers on a side wall of the morgue, pulling out the slab that the victim was laid on. 

“Have you gone out together since the Policeman’s Ball?” I ran my eyes over the corpse’s body slightly, but mainly kept my eyes on Caduceus. He chuckled, shaking his head.

“I think we’ve come to a misunderstanding, Detective. Fjord and I are just friends.”

I frowned slightly. “Oh, do you not-”

“Oh, this has nothing to do with Fjord. I just don’t date. Not my cup of tea.”

“Ah! Ok, then. Must be a lot easier to focus on your work, huh?”

He chuckled. “It certainly is. Speaking of, I wanted to show you something I found earlier. Come look at this.”

I walked to the other side of the platform so I could see where he was gesturing. As Caduceus shifted the hair away, I could see a black mark on the victim’s neck, barely the size of my pinky finger. Veins of black seemed to stream from the mark, making it look infected.

“What _is_ that thing?” I stared in disgust, tracing my eyes over the dozens of lines that stemmed from the small mark. 

“That-” Caduceus poked at it with a tweezer. “-is the source of our toxin. It looks like it was absorbed through the skin, so we can rule out ingestion or injection. This looks deliberate, like it was placed there. And looking at the spot that it’s in, I doubt that he would’ve put it there himself, accidental or not. I think we’re looking at a murder, Detective.” 

“I thought so. _Schiesse_ , just what I need right now…” I took a look at the chart that Caduceus had provided me. “Do you have any idea what caused this mark? Perhaps some kind of cream or-”

“Checking that right now.” He snapped a plastic glove on to his wrist before grabbing a small scraping tool and a container. He scraped off a bit of the black substance, pushing it around with curiosity.

“It feels a bit like… cream paint? Not exactly. It’s quite dry, to be completely honest, and I still need to run a few more tests. If I had to wager a guess though...I’d say some sort of lipstick.”

“Lipstick?” I cocked my head in confusion. “Interesting. Do you mind if I take a sample as evidence?” 

“No problem.” He grabbed a small bag from off to the side, sliding the small container into it before placing an “EVIDENCE” sticker on the front.

“Thanks for your help, Caduceus, I’ll let you know if I find anything else.” 

“Please do!” He smiled and waved goodbye as I pushed open the door, pausing as soon as I was out of sight. 

“Makeup, huh?” I chuckled under my breath. “I think I know someone who knows a little something about that.”

* * *

The lights of the Chateau were dimmer than usual when I first set foot inside. The room was quiet, save for the soft strumming of the band and the hushed chattering of the crowd. I pushed past the curtain that separated the main lounge from the entrance and headed in.

I spotted Molly behind the bar, fixing a drink for one of the patrons. “Ah, Mollymauk, over here.”

He turned towards me, a smile on his face as he rushed over. He leaned over to plant a kiss on my cheek. “Caleb, darling, it feels like forever since I’ve seen you! Look at you, all spruced up and everything! Is that a new coat? Do a spin for me, love.”

I laughed a bit, spinning around slowly so that Molly could examine me. “A gift from a friend of mine. Can I grab a beer?” I took my seat across from him at the bar. 

He gave me a sly look. “I wish I had some friends like yours. Why don’t I treat you to something a little stronger? My treat.”

“No, no, I’m supposed to be working. I need to speak with our favorite blue lady. I’d also like your input as well, if you can spare the time.”

He raised an eyebrow, sliding a bottle across the bar towards me. “You need help from _little ol’ me?_ Of course, love, I’d be glad to assist. Finish your drink and I’ll lead you back.”

“CALEB!!! You look so _nice!_ Did you fix your hair? Is that a new coat? Where did you even get that???”

The blue tiefling hugged me tightly, lifting and spinning me in circles until I felt dizzy. I often forgot how strong she was. Eventually, she placed me back on the ground, my feet stumbling a bit as I tried to regain my balance. 

“ _Hallo,_ Jester. You look lovely, as always.”

“Aww, Caleb, you’re so sweet! Now tell me! What’s with the new coat??? I’ve never seen you in something that expensive _ever_.”

“He says it’s _a gift from a friend._ If you ask me, I’d say somebody’s got an admirer. _”_ Molly waltzed into the room, planting a kiss on Yasha’s cheek before settling into one of the plush sofas. The large woman took her place behind him, giving him a pat on the shoulder in greeting. The two had grown to become friends over the years, confiding in each other when the other performers spread far too much gossip. 

_“An admirer?_ Does this have anything to do with that super fancy shmancy thief guy you were talking about last time you visited?” Jester’s eyes widened in interest, leaning in close.

I could feel the blush rising in my cheeks. “That’s not what I’m here to discuss with you, Jester. I need some assistance on a case.”

She stuck out her bottom lip in a pout, crossing her arms. “Well, you’re not getting information until you tell me about this mysterious admirer of yours. So, you’d better start talking!” She flung herself onto a large plush couch, dramatic as ever. 

I sighed, taking a seat across from her. “It’s a bit more complicated than what you have in mind, I imagine.”

Immediately, she sat up, her interest peaked. “In what way? Wait, wait, wait, don’t tell me! I wanna guess!” She closed her eyes and rubbed at the sides of her temples like she was receiving a message from beyond.

“Jester-”

“You obviously feel guilty because he’s a criminal. But there’s something more…do you not feel the same? No, you blushed when I mentioned him, it’s obvious that you’re head over heels-”

_“Jester-”_

“So if both of you feel this way about each other, then it must be some outside influence…” She gasped suddenly. “Caleb! Do you have feelings for _someone else too-”_

“Okay! Okay. That is...heh. Can we just...get to the case now? Please?” My face was burning with embarrassment. I could hear Molly giggling from his seat across the room. I kept my eyes on my hands, fiddling with the edge of the coat. 

Jester smiled, leaning back into her assortment of pillows. “Okay, okay, I’ll stop teasing you. _For now._ What’s up?” 

I sighed in relief, reaching into my pocket to pull out the sample Caduceus had given me. “I’m investigating the murder of a very influential figure, and I believe this may be a clue. The coroner believes that it’s some sort of lipstick, but I wanted to get your opinion on it. Be careful, don’t touch it directly. The victim was poisoned, and that may be the source.”

Jester took the small bag, holding it in front of her face with a curious look. “Can I swatch it? On paper, obviously, I wouldn’t touch it. I just wanna see what shade it is.”

I cocked an eyebrow in surprise. “You can determine the shade of it?”

Jester gave me a nasty look, rolling her eyes dramatically. “What kind of trendsetter would I be if I couldn’t determine the exact shade of someone’s lipstick??? What a silly question, Caleb. From this already, I can already see that it’s either 1001 Marquesian Nights by Melora Beauty or Xhorhasian Skies by Polymorphe. You see those blue undertones? Only those two companies use those pigments in their formulas, and the color of the lipstick is exclusive to those two shades.”

I leaned back in my seat, stunned into silence. “...Wow. Jester, just- _wow._ Thank you, I- that is incredibly helpful.”

Jester smirked, tail flicking behind her playfully. “Give me a few hours and I can collect a list of people who’ve bought those shades of lipstick in the past few months.”

My eyes widened in surprise. “Can you really? That would help me enormously. Crafting a suspect list is always the most difficult part.”

Her smile spread wider, easily taking up the lower half of her face. “Of course, Caleb! You know how much I love helping you with cases! Even if I don’t get to hear the _juicy gossip_ about your love life.” She winked at me slyly. I could feel my blush spread more.

“That is-”

“Oh, Caleb, stop stressing about it! You’ll figure out something, you always do. You should talk to both of them though, if you can. Explain what’s going on, that sort of thing.” She pulled the sample out of the bag carefully, taking a piece of paper and swatching the lipstick. “Definitely Xhorhasian Skies. Look at how matte that is! It really is a beautiful shade, isn’t it?”

I nodded, not understanding anything she was saying. She scoffed lightly, smiling like she could tell how little I was grasping. “Go home, Caleb. I’ll call you soon with some updates.”

I agreed, taking a sample back from her. “Thank you again, Jester. This has been quite insightful. You will have to teach me more about makeup properly one day.”

She gasped, grabbing my hands in excitement. “Are you serious, Caleb??? I would _love_ to teach you about makeup! You would look _so good_ , trust me.”

I chuckled. “Perhaps one day. Keep me updated, _ja?”_ I closed the large door behind me, ready to head home. Maybe I did need some time to myself. 

* * *

I flicked the lights on as soon as I opened the door to my apartment. Frumpkin lifted his head off the pillow he was laying on, blinking sleep out of his eyes. His mouth split into a wide yawn, and he stretched so far that his small body slid off the couch. I chuckled, taking a seat as he settled at my feet. 

“You are quite cute, _Katze._ Have I told you that?” I reached down to scoop him up, placing him on my lap. His purring felt soothing against my chest.

“I _must_ have told you. Well, if I haven’t, then you are simply the most adorable cat I have ever seen. Other cats must be jealous of what a lovely creature you are. If I knew any better, I’d say you were the king of cats.”

Frumpkin meowed, nuzzling his head into my chest. I sighed happily, letting my hands pass through his fur. My eyes settled closed and I allowed myself a second to relax. Frumpkin’s weight on my lap and the coat wrapped around my shoulders provided me with a comforting warmth that was difficult to resist. 

The press of a chest against my back, however, was _not_ a part of that comforting feeling. 

“The creature certainly is cute, but if I’m being completely honest, I have a preference for his owner.” I could _hear_ the smirk in the voice, wrapped gently around that enticing accent. I stiffened as arms wrapped around my shoulders, forming a makeshift embrace. 

_“Shadowhand.”_ I gritted the name through my teeth, my shoulders tense with apprehension. “What are you doing here?”

“What, am I not welcome, Detective? Or is it simply because you didn’t call on me this time? I know you have an appreciation for animals, but I’m not a dog that responds to your beck and call.” His arms unwrapped from around me, trailing up my shoulders and neck before he crossed to stand in front of me. I felt a shiver run up my spin at the contact. 

“No, of course not. You’re too reckless for that.” I scowled, picking Frumpkin up and placing him next to me. I turned to stand and stare up at him. “What exactly are you here for?”

The Shadowhand smirked, crossing his arms. “I was going to ask for my coat back, but now, I’m not so sure.” His eyes raked over me, his smirk spreading into a full-on grin. “You look very nice, Caleb. I assume you have found some of its quirks?”

I scoffed, reaching to remove the coat from my shoulders. The warmth that it brought me was not worth this foolishness. “If by quirks, you mean the obvious enchantments. Another part of your _flashy presentation?_ If you’re trying to impress me, it isn’t working.” 

The coat was halfway off before he placed his hands on mine, stopping them from continuing. “Now, Caleb, we both know that simply isn’t true. It would be better for you to stop lying while you’re ahead. I’m sure that charming drow fellow you were talking to earlier doesn’t appreciate liars.”

I froze. _“How did you-”_

He sauntered around me, taking the sleeve of the coat I had removed and pulling it back on. The brush of his fingers over my arms made my skin break out in goosebumps. It felt like electricity, this heady sensation that danced over my nerves and made my heart leap with every brush of his fingers. 

“Oh, I know about your little crush. What was his name, Thelyss? Yes, I believe it was. What a handsome young man. If you don’t go after him, I may just have to snatch him up myself-”

I startled hearing those words leave his lips. I pushed him away from me, reveling in the slight _ngh_ sound that he made as his back hit the wall. 

“Don’t you _dare_ talk about him like that.”

He ran a hand through his hair, smirking as he looked back up at me. “Huh. _Interesting._ It seems our little detective is more attached than he’d care to admit.”

He pushed himself off the wall, walking until he stood directly in front of me. A small part of my brain laughed at the fact that, even in his heels, he was still a few inches shorter than me. He tilted his head up to stare at me, his neck craning in a way that looked extremely uncomfortable. 

He rested a hand on the lapel on my coat, dragging it down my chest to trace the silver threads of embroidery. His eyes seemed... _softer,_ somehow. 

“What would it take for you to admit it to _me,_ Detective? Answer me that.”

I hesitated. I shouldn’t have, I knew that, but the way he toyed with me always set me on edge. My eyes flicked down to his lips, perfectly decorated with a deep black lipstick, and I heard his sharp intake of breath. Things were silent for a moment as we both breathed, faces barely a few inches away from each other. I could see his eyes flicking back and forth between my lips and my face, struggling to keep focus. Eventually, the tension reached a breaking point.

“Can I-”

_“Gods, yes.”_

We both leaned in at the same time, lips sliding together like puzzle pieces. It was hesitant, careful, so different from our first kiss, and yet so familiar. The emotions that surged through me felt the same- the rush of adrenaline, the skip of a heartbeat, the press of lips against soft smiles. His hands still held the same reverence, but this time they were gentler, fingers trailing over sharp cheekbones and through knotted hair. Every motion from him was full of tenderness, and I returned it in kind. 

Eventually, we separated to breathe, his eyes fluttering open in a daze. I trailed my eyes over the lines of his face, chuckling slightly when I noticed how smeared his lipstick was. 

“What? What is it? What are you laughing at?” His tone immediately turned defensive, eyes wide with surprise. I simply laughed harder. 

“Nothing, nothing, _Schatz._ It’s just…is that Xhorhasian Skies? By Polymorphe?” I struggled to keep myself from smiling.

He looked startled. “No? It’s a shade by Arcane Artistry. Why do you ask?”

I chuckled a bit under my breath. “No reason. Come here.” I leaned in to kiss him, sighing happily as our lips met once again. 

We kissed lazily for a few more moments, soft sighs escaping from our intertwined lips. 

“Are you going to tell him? Thelyss? Now that this is…. _whatever_ this is.” The Shadowhand mumbled against my lips, whispering as if he was trying to keep a secret.

I pulled back a bit. Our foreheads pressed together, our breath mixing in the small space. “I don’t know. I might, but…” I sighed, letting my eyelids fall closed as I took a moment to think. “What do you want from me? Be honest. I like you a lot, but.. _.I don’t even know who you are.”_

He nodded solemnly, taking a step back so he could look me in the eyes. He grabbed my hands, his movements stiff with hesitation. “I’m truly sorry about that. I like you, Caleb, but I can’t just toss around my identity like that. It’s too dangerous for me. As for what I want… we can take this slow for now. Talk to him. We’ll figure this out together.”

I nodded, taking his face in my hands. I led his face to my lips, placing a gentle kiss on his forehead. I felt his breath hit my face as he sighed happily, the rhythm of his breathing becoming steady as we held each other. 

Eventually, he pulled himself away from me, somewhat reluctantly. “It’s late. I should be going.”

I frowned, but nodded, releasing his hands from my grip. “Do you need your coat?” I moved to take the coat off my shoulders. He stopped my hand, smiling. 

“Keep it. I wasn’t lying before. The way magic looks on you…” He trailed off, bringing my hand to his lips in a quick kiss. “It’s simply _stunning.”_

I felt my blush spread across my cheeks, staining my face an embarrassing shade of red. He chuckled. 

“Goodnight, Caleb. Rest well.”

“You as well.”

He walked over to my window and flashed me a wink, before leaping out and disappearing into the night. I sighed, letting my back hit the wall as I collapsed against it. I spent a few moments running the events of the night through my head, still utterly shocked by my boldness. And his receptiveness. I hadn’t...everything simply felt new. Undiscovered. I felt a jolt of excitement run through my spine at the thought. 

Frumpkin’s eyes were wide as he stared at me from his seat on the couch. I nodded to him. 

“I have a phone call to make.”

* * *

The Chateau in the afternoon was surprising compared to its usual evening atmosphere. Since it was an after-hours establishment, patrons usually didn’t arrive until the sun began to set. The usually dim lounge was full of sunlight, beams of light bouncing off the bar and stage, where multiple staff members were preparing for a performance later that night. 

I took my usual seat, sliding my coat off my shoulders. The magic of the embroidery danced along my skin, and I revelled in the buzz for a moment before shaking myself out of it. 

I sighed, mumbling to myself. “Snap out of it, Widogast. You need to tell him.”

“Tell who, darling?” A voice echoed out from behind me, startling me out of my focus. I turned to see who was speaking. 

Behind me stood a tall woman, dressed head to toe in jewels. Elaborate chains of gold hung from her horns, and her red skin was decorated with luxurious makeup. She wore a stunning full length black dress, the fabric swaying with her as she moved. I smiled. 

“Madame Lavorre. You look beautiful, as always.”

The Ruby scoffed, a smile crossing her graceful features. She lightly slapped my shoulder, tutting. “Jester was right, you really are a charmer. Are you here to see my performance tonight, Caleb? Because I’m afraid to say that you may be just a _bit too early._ ” She gestured to the room around her, barely recognizable from the ostentatious lounge she was famous for. 

I chuckled. “Ah, no, I am not. I needed to meet with a client, and this seemed like a good rendezvous point.”

Marion quirked an eyebrow. “A client, eh? My little Sapphire said you were asking her to investigate some leads. She actually asked me to give this to you if you stopped by, she’s out shopping with Yasha.”

She handed me a pink file, covered with the words “TOP SECRET: DO NOT OPEN” in bold calligraphy. I chuckled and took it from her, opening it. The inside contained a small stack of papers, some notes written in Jester’s familiar looping handwriting. There were multiple swatches of lipstick, as well as the names of different companies that sold the shade. The paper that truly held my attention, however, was a list of names. According to Jester, these were the citizens of Wildemount who had purchased the lipstick in the last year. One name specifically caught my eye. 

_Dierta Thelyss._

My eyes widened. Essek’s mother _had_ seemed a little uptight, but I had simply assumed that she was grieving the loss of her husband. I hadn’t thought about the fact that she might’ve been the one to get rid of him in the first place. I closed the file stiffly, tucking it under my arm. 

“Thank you for delivering this to me. This has helped me immensely.” I looked back up to the Ruby, giving her a tight smile. Her mouth opened, seemingly to ask me something, but her eyes turned towards the club’s entrance. 

Standing at the front was Essek, wearing a slick black button-up tucked in dark grey slacks. He had his large coat on and his glasses gleamed as his eyes searched the mostly empty room. His eyes finally landed on me after a minute and he smiled softly, giving me a small wave. I waved back, smiling. Marion gave me a knowing look. 

“A _client,_ huh.” 

“I have no idea what you’re talking about.”

She laughed, patting me on the back. “Mmhmm, _of course_. You know, you’re allowed to have fun, Caleb. You deserve some good things for once.” 

Her knowing look turned into a genuine smile, wrapping around me as gently as a hug. I nodded, letting a smile pull at my lips. While Jester was one of my closest friends, Marion had always made it known that I was welcome in her home. It was a comforting thought, and Marion’s motherly demeanor had always been infectious. 

Essek approached the table, a light smile on his face. “Good afternoon, Caleb, it’s nice to see you again.” He turned to face Marion, holding out his hand for a handshake. “And you are…?”

The Ruby took his hand, shaking it with a sense of refined elegance. “Marion Lavorre, pleasure to meet you. I am the owner of this establishment. And who might you be?” 

Essek smiled, laughing a bit. “Ah, I apologize, I forgot to introduce myself. My name is Essek Thelyss. Detective Widogast and I are working together to solve a case.”

“How wonderful! It’s not often that Caleb brings such handsome young men to meet me. He must like you.” She shot a wink in my direction. I felt my face heat up with a blush. 

“Now that’s-”

“Oh, _be still,_ Caleb, I was simply making a joke.” She laughed heartily, giving me a pat on the shoulder. “Would it be alright with you gentlemen if I perform part of my set for tonight? I need to practice a bit.”

Essek nodded. “I would love to hear you perform. I have not been here before.”

“Wonderful! Drinks are on the house for the two of you, if you wish! Oh, Caleb, you should teach him the dance you taught Jester! The song I’ve prepared is simply _perfect_ for it."

Marion sauntered away, leaving Essek and I alone at the table. I felt myself stuttering for a reply, utterly shocked at how bold she was. 

Essek cocked an eyebrow at me. “Dance?”

I felt my blush grow even redder. “Ahh, it’s nothing. Her daughter is one of my close friends, I simply taught her how to waltz. Madame Lavorre enjoys teasing me about it.”

Essek nodded, smiling. “You seem like the type of person who would know how to waltz. Very...elegant.”

I felt my tongue turn to lead in my mouth as I tried to think of a reply. “Ha, well. It has always felt very methodical for me. Patterns help keep my thoughts in order.” I pulled the file out from under my arm. “Speaking of, I actually have some news for you.”

“Is it about the case? My father?”

I nodded, sliding the file across the table to him. His brows raised in confusion as he looked over the bright pink folder, but he took it, opening it to the notes inside. 

“I will warn you, it is...concerning.”

His eyes widened as he read. “Is this the truth, Caleb?”

I nodded, a solemn expression crossing my face. “I trust my sources, Essek.”

“But-” He stuttered. For the first time since I had met him, he truly looked...defenseless. Every emotion flicked across his face as he struggled to settle on one. Finally, he sighed, looking resigned. 

“To be completely honest? I am not as surprised as I feel I should be.” He ran a hand through his hair, ruining the style. “Mother has always been a ruthless sort of person. I know she and Father had their arguments, but I never expected…” His eyes flickered back to the pages before him, his sentence fading off. 

I sighed, taking the file back from him. “It seems that we never truly know the people who we put the most trust in, yes?”

A bark of laughter ripped from Essek’s throat, pained and weary. “Oh Detective, you have no idea.”

I laid the file off to the side, out of his line of sight. I rested my arms on the table in front of me. “What do you intend to do, Essek? As a private investigator, I am not legally allowed to make arrests. Will you contact the police, or the Cobalt Soul?”

Essek ran another hand through his hair, clearly frustrated. “Heh. Knowing my mother, she has most likely already left the city by now. I feel…” He sighed. “I feel quite useless.”

I leaned in, taking his hand in mine. He looked up at me, surprise evident on his face. 

“We will figure something out. I will see justice delivered for your father.”

He scoffed. “He is dead. He does not need justice.” His eyes strayed to something behind my left shoulder. “But _I_ need a distraction.”

Before I could open my mouth to respond, he climbed out of his seat and moved to stand in front of me, offering his hand. 

“Care to join me?”

“Join you?"

“For a dance. I believe I overheard mentions of a talented dancer in this room. I would like to see that for myself.”

I pointed towards the bar. “Oh, well if you’re wanting Mollyma- _hey!”_

Before I could finish my sentence, he grabbed my hand, pulling me out of my seat and towards the empty dance floor. His grip on my hand was firm, a steady weight in the surrounding chaos of our lives.

Marion grinned at us from her place on the stage, adjusting her microphone. She looked out past us, towards the booth at the back of the lounge. 

“You got my spot ready, Bluud?”

“Yes, ma’am.” A gruff voice answered from the back of the club as the lights dimmed, a spotlight shining on the beautiful performer. She leaned in close to her microphone, a smirk crossing her lips. 

“This one is for the two gentleman on the floor. Take it away, boys.”

The band began to play, strings humming as the musicians leaned into the music. Essek’s eyes locked onto mine, and his gaze felt _reverent._

He smiled. “Well? Shall we?”

I sputtered, still processing what was happening. He laughed, taking my hand and leading it to his shoulder before placing his hand on my waist. Our other hands met, fingers linking together like puzzle pieces. I shook my head, clearing my mind. 

We swayed together as the band played, Marion humming softly. After a moment, she opened her eyes and crooned into the microphone, her beautiful voice carrying through the entire room. 

_Some day, when I'm awfully low_

_When the world is cold_

_I will feel a glow just thinking of you_

_And the way you look tonight_

_You're lovely, with your smile so warm_

_And your cheeks so soft_

_There is nothing for me but to love you_

_And the way you look tonight_

“Madame Lavorre was right.” Essek whispered to me over the music, the two of us swaying gently to Marion’s serenade. “You are a lovely dancer.”

I chuckled. “We are simply swaying. I would not consider this dancing.”

“Oh?” He quirked an eyebrow as a smirk crossed his face. “Show me how you dance then, Widogast.”

My heart skipped a beat. I nodded, smirking back. Something about the energy between us felt so familiar, but I focused on the way our bodies pressed together as I spun him gently. 

_With each word your tenderness grows_

_Tearing my fears apart_

_And that laugh that wrinkles your nose_

_Touches my foolish heart_

_Lovely, never, ever change_

_Keep that breathless charm_

_Won't you please arrange it?_

_'Cause I love you_

_Just the way you look tonight_

The rest of the lounge faded away, until it was just the two of us and the music. I felt my eyes close on instinct, feeling calm in a way I hadn’t felt in years. Feeling safe, nothing to distract me but the gentle rock of our bodies and the lulling sound of Marion’s voice. I sighed happily.

Essek laughed, leaning in close. “Are you alright?”

I smiled. “I’m more than alright. I haven’t felt this way in a long, long time.” 

He smiled back at me, brushing some stray hairs away from my face. His hand lingered on my cheek in a way that felt oh so familiar. 

“And what way is that?” 

_With each word your tenderness grows_

_Tearing my fears apart_

_And that laugh that wrinkles your nose_

_Touches my foolish heart_

_Lovely, never, ever change_

_Keep that breathless charm_

_Won't you please arrange it?_

_'Cause I love you_

_Just the way you look tonight-_

My eyes widened as his hand moved down to cup my chin gently. “Essek, I-”

“Is this..alright?”

He paused for a moment, searching my eyes. I was sure that he could see my emotion reflected in them, but I nodded all the same. My eyes fell shut as he leaned in. 

And that’s when I heard the shattering of glass. _Shit._

  
  
  
  
  


**Author's Note:**

> Thank you so much for reading! If you enjoyed it, please don't be afraid to leave a kudos or a comment! I try to respond to every comment I get, your words always make my day. 
> 
> If you enjoyed the AU, please consider checking out this amazing playlist that one of the members of the discord made: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/2xbqkW7LO2PPRtqTfrm20G?si=ZLiWN2OvRTOjf6-S85WUxg


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